tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26327369338568437872019-03-21T14:08:18.314-05:00Teachers Are Terrific! A STEM BlogHi, I'm Carol, a STEM teacher with tons of experience. My blog posts cover all things STEM and Science, organization, planning, and plenty of helpful hints to get you going with STEM. Freebies are offered occasionally and plenty of visuals to lead you through engineering with your elementary students.Carolnoreply@blogger.comBlogger330125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2632736933856843787.post-118338898413654462019-03-15T05:00:00.000-05:002019-03-17T15:32:31.930-05:00Sailing Away with Sailboats in the STEM Lab!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I never could have predicted how much STEM kids love to make boats. Building boats is one of the first projects we tackled a few years ago and they loved it so much.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">But, the boats we built were not sailboats. That didn't seem to matter to some of the groups, however. They built a mast and sail anyway.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">That got me to thinking....&nbsp;could we try <a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Challenge-Sail-Boat-1583950" target="_blank">sailboats</a>? What would make them move?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6BLDDyYqHGU/WjHSW2XzoNI/AAAAAAAAk4Q/CdjHYELw97sGEQg-pi_X2q9RK-cQ3bxpgCLcBGAs/s1600/Sail%2Bboat%2Blong%2Bpin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="STEM Challenge: Build a sailboat that will float and travel with the wind!" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="873" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6BLDDyYqHGU/WjHSW2XzoNI/AAAAAAAAk4Q/CdjHYELw97sGEQg-pi_X2q9RK-cQ3bxpgCLcBGAs/s640/Sail%2Bboat%2Blong%2Bpin.jpg" title="STEM Challenge: Build a sailboat that will float and travel with the wind!" width="348" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><a name='more'></a><h3>STRAWS?</h3><div>I did think about having the kids use straws and blow their boats through the water.</div><div><br /></div><div>Then I remembered how icky that is. The straws get full of spit. Because they are kids. But, just imagine how gross that is to see spit spraying from the end of the straw onto the boats or into the water pan.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Yuck!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So, I brought a fan to school and that worked perfectly. We had to learn how to aim it to get the best "wind" and we also learned the highest speed on the fan's setting made the boats turn over!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">First Grade Sailboats</h3><div>Nothing fancy with the smallest engineers. We used pool noodles because I knew they would float. Kids held the noodles together with toothpicks and tape. The mast is a straw and we&nbsp;used paper sails.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Take a look&nbsp;at these:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MHcMOKikfcY/Wi8Em2mwgmI/AAAAAAAAkxA/S7UnVzoi_KslOJ3F2-RjSRPymHIzKUSWACLcBGAs/s1600/Slide7.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="STEM Challenge: Build a sailboat that will float and travel with the wind!" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1120" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MHcMOKikfcY/Wi8Em2mwgmI/AAAAAAAAkxA/S7UnVzoi_KslOJ3F2-RjSRPymHIzKUSWACLcBGAs/s640/Slide7.JPG" title="STEM Challenge: Build a sailboat that will float and travel with the wind!" width="448" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I meant for them to use the toothpicks to connect the pool noodles. Kids thought the toothpicks made great decorations! Or even the sail!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Eventually, we started using foam sheets for the sails instead of construction paper. First graders would cheer when their boats sailed away!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Challenge-Sail-Boat-1583950" target="_blank">Third Grade Sailboats</a></h3><div>I knew foil was a great material for boats and this is one of the items third graders could choose. They also had pieces of cardboard.</div><div><br /></div><div>The cardboard was mostly to make a stable base, but the real dilemma was protecting the cardboard from getting wet.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Challenge-Sail-Boat-1583950" target="_blank"><img alt="STEM Challenge: Build a sailboat that will float and travel with the wind!" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1120" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PsIpg3NCZns/XI6ucbqUuLI/AAAAAAAAyoA/Zt2t0JXOIUgUkNyCIUsQH10m2VUeWLVtgCLcBGAs/s640/fixed.jpg" title="STEM Challenge: Build a sailboat that will float and travel with the wind!" width="448" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The one above worked great because they made sides on their boat. The tiny plastic cup turned out to be a way to tape the mast in place.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Sail-Boat-Challenge-1583950" target="_blank"><img alt="STEM Challenge: Build a sailboat that will float and travel with the wind!" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1120" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yn_zmGj5dDw/Wi8EluuUUYI/AAAAAAAAkwo/yV40DNjeuMgMQrWBihBMtJe4GXeLa0U-wCLcBGAs/s640/Slide2.JPG" title="STEM Challenge: Build a sailboat that will float and travel with the wind!" width="448" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Below is another team that relied&nbsp;on the foil for everything! Even the sail is made of foil.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Sail-Boat-Challenge-1583950" target="_blank"><img alt="STEM Challenge: Build a sailboat that will float and travel with the wind!" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1120" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-e4dq_LUzXLI/Wi8EmXEHjNI/AAAAAAAAkw8/REnHbN60oZA-Hv8-J6GXYXwSZ1WaJFr9QCLcBGAs/s640/Slide5.JPG" title="STEM Challenge: Build a sailboat that will float and travel with the wind!" width="448" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This is such a fun building project. There are many problems to solve and kids have to constantly repair the boats. As soon as one takes on water they have to go back and find the leak and fix it. I keep a roll of paper towels beside the water pan and leave real towels on each work table.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Sail-Boat-Challenge-1583950" target="_blank"><img alt="STEM Challenge: Build a sailboat that will float and travel with the wind!" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1120" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6tp70qT-ouU/Wi8ElwsXg6I/AAAAAAAAkws/fzL7gF2_WZ0FGQMy_D3jz-KP5rTa8GqLQCEwYBhgL/s640/Slide3.JPG" title="STEM Challenge: Build a sailboat that will float and travel with the wind!" width="448" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div>The photos below even show the water rippling as the boat is sailing. We did have races with these boats! Two teams placed their boat at the end of the water pan and let go, I turned on the fan, and off they went. Boats that crashed into each other created some groaning and then some cheering as one would break away and take off.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Sail-Boat-Challenge-1583950" target="_blank"><img alt="STEM Challenge: Build a sailboat that will float and travel with the wind!" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1120" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ani32MXVkDI/Wi8EmJhX5_I/AAAAAAAAkw0/urq3yEb4xv8X_YGC-oHkcOUq0e7ML6cSwCEwYBhgL/s640/Slide4.JPG" title="STEM Challenge: Build a sailboat that will float and travel with the wind!" width="448" /></a></div>Try some <a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Challenge-Sail-Boat-1583950" target="_blank">boats </a>soon! Your kids will love them.<br /><br />Some Hints:<br /><ul><li>My water pan is a long under-the-bed storage container.</li><li>Buy foil sheets at the Dollar Tree. They are pre-cut and it saves lots of time.</li><li>Have fun-it's just water!</li></ul><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Sellers-Im-Following/Add/Teachers-Are-Terrific" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="106" data-original-width="702" height="60" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q4rIRifWXYc/WsoXKpaCgkI/AAAAAAAAoPI/0ePpZcAqaOI_S6eXW7hy5dr0E9TKTgEPwCLcBGAs/s400/airplane%2Btpt%2Bbutton.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/teachersareterrific/" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="89" data-original-width="697" height="50" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2FLyzGPEl90/WsoXKlw6Q-I/AAAAAAAAoPE/tcWLpyHYzYUT4mz29jDp5rBZ_DTxpvlFACEwYBhgL/s400/airplane%2Binstagram%2Bbutton.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br />Carolhttps://plus.google.com/117070298526139327236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2632736933856843787.post-42113758608823806992019-03-08T05:00:00.000-06:002019-03-08T08:26:26.790-06:00Toothpick Towers Tips and Tricks<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This <a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Challenge-Toothpick-Tower-1216203" target="_blank">challenge</a>, with only two materials, is the best ever.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Yes, you have heard me say that many times, but this time I mean it.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It is fun. It is hard. Really hard. And the kids want it to work so much. They persevere. They start over. They never give up.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It's pretty perfect.&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It's the great <a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Challenge-Toothpick-Tower-1216203" target="_blank">Toothpick Tower Challenge</a>!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teachersareterrific.com/2019/02/toothpick-towers-tips-and-tricks.html" target="_blank"><img alt="The perfect STEM Challenge- kids love it and it only uses two materials! It's the great Toothpick Tower. You have choices of two different building materials to use with toothpicks. Kids are very innovative about joining the parts together and you will love watching them. The resource comes with a detailed teacher's guide, lab sheets, and a scoring rubric! #STEM #elementary" border="0" data-original-height="530" data-original-width="1070" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NQz8ZVBKB0M/XDn582p0ifI/AAAAAAAAv4M/Kp87jxXMaqI5ZbAMRWd0Qp_y73jgjejWACLcBGAs/s1600/TP%2BTower%2Bslider%2Bjpg.jpg" title="The perfect STEM Challenge- kids love it and it only uses two materials! It's the great Toothpick Tower. You have choices of two different building materials to use with toothpicks. Kids are very innovative about joining the parts together and you will love watching them. The resource comes with a detailed teacher's guide, lab sheets, and a scoring rubric! #STEM #elementary" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><a name='more'></a><h3>You really only need two materials!</h3>Now, having said that, I also do this one in two different ways. Both use toothpicks and I have some tips about those!<br /><br /><h3>BEST PHOTO EVER</h3>At different times of the day, our STEM Lab gets an abundance of brilliant sunshine. It's enough that we frequently move two lab tables to get the kids out of the sun. I cannot block that light because it comes from a dome so we just deal with it. And take great pictures. Take a look below!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Challenge-Toothpick-Tower-1216203" target="_blank"><img alt="The perfect STEM Challenge- kids love it and it only uses two materials! It's the great Toothpick Tower. You have choices of two different building materials to use with toothpicks. Kids are very innovative about joining the parts together and you will love watching them. The resource comes with a detailed teacher's guide, lab sheets, and a scoring rubric! #STEM #elementary" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1011" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fzd9xQy4r1g/XIGv1GS5f6I/AAAAAAAAyNs/JXNlUCHqOA4myk8TFHoN2ulGgSXYUyCDQCLcBGAs/s400/Slide1.JPG" title="The perfect STEM Challenge- kids love it and it only uses two materials! It's the great Toothpick Tower. You have choices of two different building materials to use with toothpicks. Kids are very innovative about joining the parts together and you will love watching them. The resource comes with a detailed teacher's guide, lab sheets, and a scoring rubric! #STEM #elementary" width="252" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Isn't that fabulous?</div><br />Now, for the truth about the photo. The young man that made that little creation was not building anything. He was just playing. I snapped the picture and then fussed a little.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">THE FIRST VERSION OF THIS <a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Challenge-Toothpick-Tower-1216203" target="_blank">CHALLENGE</a></h3>For version number 1 - we use toothpicks and modeling&nbsp;dough. I have a couple of tips or you about this!<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Challenge-Toothpick-Tower-1216203?utm_source=my%20blog&amp;utm_campaign=blog%20post%202019" target="_blank"><img alt="The perfect STEM Challenge- kids love it and it only uses two materials! It's the great Toothpick Tower. You have choices of two different building materials to use with toothpicks. Kids are very innovative about joining the parts together and you will love watching them. The resource comes with a detailed teacher's guide, lab sheets, and a scoring rubric! #STEM #elementary" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1011" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-43fiRPsd0vI/XDn4mgB8tlI/AAAAAAAAv3o/vpr-FGQ9V0w-btRsczXbuMQyhJfftBcgwCLcBGAs/s400/Slide2.JPG" title="The perfect STEM Challenge- kids love it and it only uses two materials! It's the great Toothpick Tower. You have choices of two different building materials to use with toothpicks. Kids are very innovative about joining the parts together and you will love watching them. The resource comes with a detailed teacher's guide, lab sheets, and a scoring rubric! #STEM #elementary" width="252" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>TIP</b>: Round toothpicks work best, but they are very sharp. They can stab into your fingers if you are not careful. So, I always warn the kids about this. Flat toothpicks are less likely to stab you but they are a little flimsy.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>TIP: </b>Modeling&nbsp;dough can be tricky. Kids love it and they&nbsp;love to make those long skinny worms out of the dough. But, the more you play with dough the warmer it gets, and the warmer it gets, the more flimsy it is as a building material. So, hands off!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">BUILDING TECHNIQUES</h3><div>Kids try all sorts of&nbsp;ways to connect with toothpicks. I love watching them!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Challenge-Toothpick-Tower-1216203?utm_source=my%20blog&amp;utm_campaign=blog%20post%202019" target="_blank"><img alt="The perfect STEM Challenge- kids love it and it only uses two materials! It's the great Toothpick Tower. You have choices of two different building materials to use with toothpicks. Kids are very innovative about joining the parts together and you will love watching them. The resource comes with a detailed teacher's guide, lab sheets, and a scoring rubric! #STEM #elementary" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1011" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-X1K1L17xY64/XDn4mg7Bi0I/AAAAAAAAv3k/3ybS_Py_kFoat-QSw8qM2DKzR0JdAfp9gCLcBGAs/s400/Slide3.JPG" title="The perfect STEM Challenge- kids love it and it only uses two materials! It's the great Toothpick Tower. You have choices of two different building materials to use with toothpicks. Kids are very innovative about joining the parts together and you will love watching them. The resource comes with a detailed teacher's guide, lab sheets, and a scoring rubric! #STEM #elementary" width="252" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="" style="clear: both;">Above, one team&nbsp;member builds the pieces while another connects them! Great way to learn about an assembly line!</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Below, several more ways to connect!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Challenge-Toothpick-Tower-1216203?utm_source=my%20blog&amp;utm_campaign=blog%20post%202019" target="_blank"><img alt="The perfect STEM Challenge- kids love it and it only uses two materials! It's the great Toothpick Tower. You have choices of two different building materials to use with toothpicks. Kids are very innovative about joining the parts together and you will love watching them. The resource comes with a detailed teacher's guide, lab sheets, and a scoring rubric! #STEM #elementary" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1011" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RvBKC1mfqcM/XDn4nqAL_jI/AAAAAAAAv30/xzoxuYG03T8rdvhj_n-V55fYBAISv9j6wCLcBGAs/s400/Slide5.JPG" title="The perfect STEM Challenge- kids love it and it only uses two materials! It's the great Toothpick Tower. You have choices of two different building materials to use with toothpicks. Kids are very innovative about joining the parts together and you will love watching them. The resource comes with a detailed teacher's guide, lab sheets, and a scoring rubric! #STEM #elementary" width="252" /></a><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Invariably, the towers that succeed are the ones with a great base and not much dough at the top.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Modeling dough is heavy!</div><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></h3><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Challenge-Toothpick-Tower-1216203" target="_blank">VERSION #2</a></h3>This one came about accidentally- when I forgot to buy modeling dough and had some mini-marshmallows on hand. (I have no clue why I had them!)<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Challenge-Toothpick-Tower-1216203?utm_source=my%20blog&amp;utm_campaign=blog%20post%202019" target="_blank"><img alt="The perfect STEM Challenge- kids love it and it only uses two materials! It's the great Toothpick Tower. You have choices of two different building materials to use with toothpicks. Kids are very innovative about joining the parts together and you will love watching them. The resource comes with a detailed teacher's guide, lab sheets, and a scoring rubric! #STEM #elementary" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1011" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SwTCF3Cv1ow/XDn4nP6QySI/AAAAAAAAv3w/iAjr7XmAKpULf4e_ebMKAvDSW152MX68gCLcBGAs/s400/Slide4.JPG" title="The perfect STEM Challenge- kids love it and it only uses two materials! It's the great Toothpick Tower. You have choices of two different building materials to use with toothpicks. Kids are very innovative about joining the parts together and you will love watching them. The resource comes with a detailed teacher's guide, lab sheets, and a scoring rubric! #STEM #elementary" width="252" /></a></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We also added a twist to this version. Students had to draw a blueprint of their tower before they could build it. Then they had to build it exactly like the blueprint!</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>TIP</b>: Marshmallows are completely different than modeling dough. They can be very sticky so keep some wet washcloths on hand. This will help clean sticky fingers and your table tops.</div><br /><b>TIP</b>: Open the fresh bag of marshmallows and let them dry out a little before you use them. They can be very flimsy when too fresh!<br /><h3>Whichever version you try of this one, I promise, your kids will love it! Two materials = win-win!</h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Sellers-Im-Following/Add/Teachers-Are-Terrific" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="106" data-original-width="702" height="60" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lPVQtmgfpxs/XDn4fc7PmUI/AAAAAAAAv3g/IDoB8yvaYy4GfOuizh6RtClGwhxKO0kzwCLcBGAs/s400/airplane%2Btpt%2Bbutton.png" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Challenge-Toothpick-Tower-1216203?utm_source=my%20blog&amp;utm_campaign=blog%20post%202019" target="_blank"><img alt="The perfect STEM Challenge- kids love it and it only uses two materials! It's the great Toothpick Tower. You have choices of two different building materials to use with toothpicks. Kids are very innovative about joining the parts together and you will love watching them. The resource comes with a detailed teacher's guide, lab sheets, and a scoring rubric! #STEM #elementary" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="873" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nxUhLWhgO8g/WjK4tawUT_I/AAAAAAAAk58/x0KvRP6tJQIYw0bgTlJufDGy2zUznP4ewCEwYBhgL/s640/tp%2BTow%2Blong%2Bpin%2Bjpg.jpg" title="The perfect STEM Challenge- kids love it and it only uses two materials! It's the great Toothpick Tower. You have choices of two different building materials to use with toothpicks. Kids are very innovative about joining the parts together and you will love watching them. The resource comes with a detailed teacher's guide, lab sheets, and a scoring rubric! #STEM #elementary" width="348" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br />Carolhttps://plus.google.com/117070298526139327236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2632736933856843787.post-69899670712700572032019-03-01T05:00:00.000-06:002019-03-01T05:00:02.206-06:00Can You See Me Now? (Animal Adaptations)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Did you know that there are spiders that can totally immerse&nbsp;themselves in the pollen-covered center of a flower and there they will lay- just waiting for a flying insect to stop by to sip some nectar? And then, without much movement at all, the spider catches some dinner!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Totally fascinating! And it's all about animal adaptations. We learned so much recently with our latest challenges and Escape Room!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teachersareterrific.com/2019/02/can-you-see-me-now-animal-adaptations.html" target="_blank"><img alt="It's all animal adaptations! This post features several resources that will complement your study of animals. The first is an Escape Room and then the STEM challenge inspired by a picture book about animals. You will also see a reading comprehension resource that includes 4 reading passages with questions and a mock-up of a newspaper about animals. There are 3 graphic organizers for the newspaper. Last, create an Animal Adaptation booklet with a study of non-fiction text features! #STEM #animals" border="0" data-original-height="530" data-original-width="1070" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aQflRRh7_wQ/XFed9r5jKdI/AAAAAAAAwrA/NestDn8Yyd8xrLzDg1opbTbwN4oWOTougCLcBGAs/s1600/slider%2Bfor%2Bblog%2Bpost%2B%2Bjpg.jpg" title="It's all animal adaptations! This post features several resources that will complement your study of animals. The first is an Escape Room and then the STEM challenge inspired by a picture book about animals. You will also see a reading comprehension resource that includes 4 reading passages with questions and a mock-up of a newspaper about animals. There are 3 graphic organizers for the newspaper. Last, create an Animal Adaptation booklet with a study of non-fiction text features! #STEM #animals" /></a></div><br /><br /><a name='more'></a><i style="font-size: 18.72px; font-weight: 700;"><span style="background: white; color: #302a2c; font-family: &quot;century gothic&quot; , sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.25pt; line-height: 21.528px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">In this post, for your convenience, you may find Amazon Affiliate links, which means Amazon passes tiny amounts on to me- if you purchase something through that link - at no extra cost to you. This helps keep this little blog running!</span></span></i><br /><br /><br /><h3>What a fabulous time we had with our study of animals and then I discovered I had several coordinating resources. I am so excited to share this with you!</h3><br />You are going to love these:<br /><br /><ul><li>Animal Adaptation Escape Room</li><li>STEM and Reading- a challenge&nbsp;inspired&nbsp;by a picture book</li><li>Animal Adaptations Reading Resource</li><li>Animal adaptations Booklet Kit</li></ul><br /><br /><h3>First, the <a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Escape-Room-featuring-Animal-Adaptations-4332680" target="_blank">Escape Room</a>!</h3><div>We love these Escape Rooms. All of the ones I have designed have three tasks. Each task leads the students to a clue for a lock code. That code number unlocks a box and they get their next task.<br /><br />When they unlock the last of the three boxes, they grab a bin of materials and start planning for a STEM challenge.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Escape-Room-featuring-Animal-Adaptations-4332680" target="_blank"><img alt="Perfect resource for your study of animal adaptations. Students complete a task to determine the lock code for a box! When the box is unlocked the next task is received. After three tasks students have earned their materials for an animal adaptation STEM challenge. This Escape Room resource includes detailed teacher's guides and the STEM Challenge. #STEM #escaperoom #elementary" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="836" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bR0ruJaGuAs/XFeeF4QiznI/AAAAAAAAwrI/j0c2QsrltnMxge_OesKMGRO1dav6rXyLQCLcBGAs/s640/AA1.jpg" title="Perfect resource for your study of animal adaptations. Students complete a task to determine the lock code for a box! When the box is unlocked the next task is received. After three tasks students have earned their materials for an animal adaptation STEM challenge. This Escape Room resource includes detailed teacher's guides and the STEM Challenge. #STEM #escaperoom #elementary" width="334" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">For this <a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Escape-Room-featuring-Animal-Adaptations-4332680" target="_blank">Escape Room's</a> first task students match images of animals to a description of their adaptation. If this is done correctly they spell out a clue word which leads to the locked box.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">For task 2 the students complete math problems. Each problem matches an alphabet letter and those letters are placed within a poem. When the poem is finished they will find their next clue to unlock the box.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Escape-Room-featuring-Animal-Adaptations-4332680" target="_blank"><img alt="Perfect resource for your study of animal adaptations. Students complete a task to determine the lock code for a box! When the box is unlocked the next task is received. After three tasks students have earned their materials for an animal adaptation STEM challenge. This Escape Room resource includes detailed teacher's guides and the STEM Challenge. #STEM #escaperoom #elementary" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="836" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KOuVP6XoCS0/XFeeFlVX_4I/AAAAAAAAwrE/R-9QazOOn3EToI-jvgZr3Hq5bYY-syHHQCLcBGAs/s640/aa2.jpg" title="Perfect resource for your study of animal adaptations. Students complete a task to determine the lock code for a box! When the box is unlocked the next task is received. After three tasks students have earned their materials for an animal adaptation STEM challenge. This Escape Room resource includes detailed teacher's guides and the STEM Challenge. #STEM #escaperoom #elementary" width="334" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">For the last locked box, students decipher a secret message which eventually gives them their last clue and they get that third box open. This is such fun and my kids love these events.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This one would be a perfect one for you to try since it is low prep for you!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It also leads to a STEM Challenge!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">What Do You Do with a Tail Like This?</h3><div>The <a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Quick-Challenge-Animal-Adaptations-4332665" target="_blank">STEM challenge</a> starts with a picture book that is purely delightful. Each set of pages shows an animal body part- &nbsp;a whole page of animal tails. The next page tells how each of those animals uses their tail! So fun! This is repeated for ears, noses, and more.</div><div><br /></div><div>It is the perfect lead-in for the <a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Quick-Challenge-Animal-Adaptations-4332665" target="_blank">challenge</a>.</div><div><br /></div><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/061899713X/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=061899713X&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=carol0a7-20&amp;linkId=aa76588511b23ed357df25547364197e" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&amp;MarketPlace=US&amp;ASIN=061899713X&amp;ServiceVersion=20070822&amp;ID=AsinImage&amp;WS=1&amp;Format=_SL250_&amp;tag=carol0a7-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=carol0a7-20&amp;l=am2&amp;o=1&amp;a=061899713X" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br /><div><br />Students must choose an animal and then build a 3-D model showing the animal's adaptation. This was eye-opening for my students. We really had to have some discussions about what the actual adaptations were for the animals.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">For this <a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Quick-Challenge-Animal-Adaptations-4332665" target="_blank">challenge</a>, I put out an array of materials and each group chose what they needed depending on the animal they picked.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Quick-Challenge-Animal-Adaptations-4332665" target="_blank"><img alt="Animal Adaptations! Students listen to or view a picture book about animal features and then design a model with an adaptation. The resource includes a teacher's guide, photos, lab sheet, and a scoring rubric. #STEM #elementary #animaladaptations" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1011" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_vDua0tpn44/XFeeM1J7pfI/AAAAAAAAwrU/CI1-ACpKTPAGAhS_G5qUN4DWx2s7S03fQCLcBGAs/s640/Slide8.JPG" title="Animal Adaptations! Students listen to or view a picture book about animal features and then design a model with an adaptation. The resource includes a teacher's guide, photos, lab sheet, and a scoring rubric. #STEM #elementary #animaladaptations" width="404" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The absolute best part of this one was the presentations at the end of class. Each group shared their model and then explained its adaptation. A huge amount of learning is going on here!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Quick-Challenge-Animal-Adaptations-4332665" target="_blank"><img alt="Animal Adaptations! Students listen to or view a picture book about animal features and then design a model with an adaptation. The resource includes a teacher's guide, photos, lab sheet, and a scoring rubric. #STEM #elementary #animaladaptations" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1011" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xTdUrqrYMHs/XFeeMoH78GI/AAAAAAAAwrQ/ZZz8h5BU3fkRbsANJtgx1fFEUKWpHIO5gCLcBGAs/s640/Slide9.JPG" title="Animal Adaptations! Students listen to or view a picture book about animal features and then design a model with an adaptation. The resource includes a teacher's guide, photos, lab sheet, and a scoring rubric. #STEM #elementary #animaladaptations" width="404" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Take a look at the photo above. A team of girls asked me for a bowl for their model. I said, "A bowl?" They explained what they were making and I agreed that a bowl was the perfect item to add to our materials. Do you see what they made?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It's the turtle. They used the bowl for his shell!</div><br /><h3><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Animal-Adaptations-Print-Read-4352956" target="_blank">Print &amp; Read</a></h3><div>Then I added this resource to our collection of Animal Adaptation study. This idea for reading packets is one that I have been thinking about adding for quite some time and this one about animals is the first in the series. I loved making it and I know you will love using this very simple resource.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Animal-Adaptations-Print-Read-4352956" target="_blank"><img alt="A reading unit for Animal Adaptations. It includes 4 selections at two different elementary levels with reading comprehension skill-based questions. Also includes a newspaper mock-up about animals with 3 graphic organizers provided. All answer keys are included! Easy-peasy- Just Print and Read! #animaladaptations #Readingsheets" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="873" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pwGnUHBCGOU/XFeeRKgAfeI/AAAAAAAAwrg/Mc0SZcgz-XETnWczDkrspc2sPl7vrSzZgCLcBGAs/s640/Slide1.JPG" title="A reading unit for Animal Adaptations. It includes 4 selections at two different elementary levels with reading comprehension skill-based questions. Also includes a newspaper mock-up about animals with 3 graphic organizers provided. All answer keys are included! Easy-peasy- Just Print and Read! #animaladaptations #Readingsheets" width="348" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I call these <a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Animal-Adaptations-Print-Read-4352956" target="_blank">Print &amp; Read</a> because that is exactly what you do. You pick the passage you want to use, print them, and the students are ready to read. That is really all the prep needed.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Each set will have 4 <a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Animal-Adaptations-Print-Read-4352956" target="_blank">reading passages</a> written on two ability levels. The easier level is geared toward third to fourth grade and the more challenging passage is fourth to fifth grade level.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The passages are accompanied by 4 questions that ask reading comprehension type questions, word meaning in context, inferring questions, and comparison questions. They all make use of non-fiction text features in some way.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Animal-Adaptations-Print-Read-4352956" target="_blank"><img alt="A reading unit for Animal Adaptations. It includes 4 selections at two different elementary levels with reading comprehension skill-based questions. Also includes a newspaper mock-up about animals with 3 graphic organizers provided. All answer keys are included! Easy-peasy- Just Print and Read! #animaladaptations #Readingsheets" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="873" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gr_dBwP6cc0/XFeeRbK2dTI/AAAAAAAAwrk/2DVmsePZM3EGQx3vrvKadFDcz4KZ0vlQQCLcBGAs/s640/Slide2.JPG" title="A reading unit for Animal Adaptations. It includes 4 selections at two different elementary levels with reading comprehension skill-based questions. Also includes a newspaper mock-up about animals with 3 graphic organizers provided. All answer keys are included! Easy-peasy- Just Print and Read! #animaladaptations #Readingsheets" width="348" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And, because I love making them and I know kids love seeing them- I included a newspaper article mock-up page that has 3 more reading passages. One page for the newspaper, it's called <i>The Animal Weekly</i>, is basic comprehension, there is a graphic organizer for word meanings, and a third graphic organizer that has the kids writing about the main idea of each passage, finding supporting details, and then drawing a sketch of the main idea.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">These are perfect for centers, small groups, seat work, or sub days!</div><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Animal-Adaptations-Non-Fiction-Text-Features-Booklet-1183140" target="_blank">Booklet Kit</a></h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And, finally, I have one more <a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Animal-Adaptations-Non-Fiction-Text-Features-Booklet-1183140" target="_blank">Animal Adaptation resource</a>. It's a booklet making kit!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Animal-Adaptations-Non-Fiction-Text-Features-Booklet-1183140" target="_blank"><img alt="Create a booklet with your students showcasing animal adaptations. The booklet includes nine reading passages for which students write their own version. Each page also uses non-fiction text features that students identify! Fabulous study of animals, writing, and text features. " border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1011" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gasG8hH4jic/XFeeQx6sEOI/AAAAAAAAwrc/yPx9gLwlr9cigO97ST42cYY5BtDckrC1wCEwYBhgL/s640/booklet.jpg" title="Create a booklet with your students showcasing animal adaptations. The booklet includes nine reading passages for which students write their own version. Each page also uses non-fiction text features that students identify! Fabulous study of animals, writing, and text features. " width="404" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This <a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Animal-Adaptations-Non-Fiction-Text-Features-Booklet-1183140" target="_blank">resource </a>has been available for several years and it remains one of my most popular non-fiction text features resources. The students read 9 passages about animal adaptations and then identify text features found on each page. They have some interactive note-booking type tasks- cutting and gluing the word meanings. They end up making a <a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Animal-Adaptations-Non-Fiction-Text-Features-Booklet-1183140" target="_blank">booklet </a>with a table of contents, their own writing, and an index! It's fabulous!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><h3>So, what are you waiting for? Get your animal studies started right now! It is so fun!</h3><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Sellers-Im-Following/Add/Teachers-Are-Terrific" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="106" data-original-width="702" height="60" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-39VEY26rPVk/XGDQs_BcLoI/AAAAAAAAw6o/GJgOz7mL2q4JZgdsC_1HSVCzQyRe68IjgCLcBGAs/s400/airplane%2Btpt%2Bbutton.png" width="400" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Carolhttps://plus.google.com/117070298526139327236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2632736933856843787.post-81484236868351947872019-02-28T05:00:00.000-06:002019-03-01T07:52:48.239-06:00Some Parts of Books Stay with You Forever (Book Reviews)There are, occasionally, books that are so profound that I reread the details and love the characters and don't want the book to end. Aren't those the best?<br /><br />This month's selections have that profound quality. They are all are mesmerizing, some made me angry, some made me laugh out loud., and one is just tragic.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.teachersareterrific.com/2018/12/feb-books.html" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1024" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-r4BWqswk6d4/XAVTo1DUJiI/AAAAAAAAuMQ/numENtyjTmEm5ba2JprXflQetrQT8hZ5QCLcBGAs/s400/watermark_03-12-2018_10-01-38AM.PNG" width="318" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><a name='more'></a><div style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="color: #302a2c; font-family: &quot;century gothic&quot; , sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.25pt;">I</span></i><i><span style="color: #302a2c; font-family: &quot;inherit&quot; , serif; letter-spacing: 0.25pt;">n this post, for your convenience, you may find Amazon Affiliate links to resources. This means that with your purchase of items Amazon will pass on small percentages to me. This will not create extra costs for you at all! It will help me keep this blog running!</span></i></div><br /><br />Let's start this review with the funny one, then the one that made ma mad, then two beautiful books, and last tragic one.<br /><h3><i>Crazy Rich Asians</i> by Kevin Kwan</h3><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0345803787/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=0345803787&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=carol0a7-20&amp;linkId=cce66f84625d9cdb74019aa8a316e1cb" target="_blank"><img alt="Rachel Chu heads to Singapore with her boyfriend Nick Young. He has family living in Singapore and will be visiting to attend the wedding of the century in Asia. Rachel and Nick have been dating for a couple of years and she thinks this will be a vacation. What she doesn't know is just how wealthy Mick's family is! She only learns this when their private car pulls up to the home of his grandmother and she sees, not a mansion, but a palace." border="0" height="320" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&amp;MarketPlace=US&amp;ASIN=0345803787&amp;ServiceVersion=20070822&amp;ID=AsinImage&amp;WS=1&amp;Format=_SL250_&amp;tag=carol0a7-20" title="Rachel Chu heads to Singapore with her boyfriend Nick Young. He has family living in Singapore and will be visiting to attend the wedding of the century in Asia. Rachel and Nick have been dating for a couple of years and she thinks this will be a vacation. What she doesn't know is just how wealthy Mick's family is! She only learns this when their private car pulls up to the home of his grandmother and she sees, not a mansion, but a palace." width="207" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=carol0a7-20&amp;l=am2&amp;o=1&amp;a=0345803787" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br /><br />This was such a clever book and very entertaining! (Much to my surprise!) And, yes, I did laugh often. The characters are purely silly and say the most outrageous things.<br /><br />Rachel Chu heads to Singapore with her boyfriend Nick Young. He has family living in Singapore and will be visiting to attend the wedding of the century in Asia. Rachel and Nick have been dating for a couple of years and she thinks this will be a vacation.<br /><br />What she doesn't know is just how wealthy Nick's family is! She only learns this when their private car pulls up to the home of his&nbsp;grandmother and she sees, not a mansion, but a palace. She also discovers that he was raised in this atmosphere with many, many servants, private planes and chauffeured cars, and everything imaginable that wealthy (really wealthy) people have at their fingertips.<br /><br />Rachel attends some of the bride's pre-wedding functions and meets old girlfriends of Nick's, along with various other family members. Since he is Asia's most eligible&nbsp;bachelor the family is aghast&nbsp;that he has taken up with such a commoner as Rachel. So, will Rachel and Nick's relationship survive this amazing trip or will she return to New York?<br /><br />The book is full of references to the shopping trips that the wealthy family members regularly take as well as the descriptions of their very large homes.&nbsp; There is also a side story about Nick's cousin Astrid that is interesting!<br /><br />I did enjoy this book and my advice to you is to read the fine print (footnotes) on the pages! The author uses many examples of languages spoken by the characters and types of food and I found some of the descriptions hilarious in those footnotes! 5 stars for this one!<br /><br /><h3><i>Vox </i>by Christina Dalcher</h3><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0440000785/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=0440000785&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=carol0a7-20&amp;linkId=118f253d4d45f4ff431a1c327df81bc3" target="_blank"><img alt="Women and girls are outfitted with a &quot;bracelet&quot;. Each day the bracelet counts the words spoken and the limit is 100. If a woman speaks more than 100 an electric shock is sent through the bracelet and the severity of the shock depends on how many words over the allotted 100 have been spoken. The shock can be debilitating or even cause death." border="0" height="320" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&amp;MarketPlace=US&amp;ASIN=0440000785&amp;ServiceVersion=20070822&amp;ID=AsinImage&amp;WS=1&amp;Format=_SL250_&amp;tag=carol0a7-20" title="Women and girls are outfitted with a &quot;bracelet&quot;. Each day the bracelet counts the words spoken and the limit is 100. If a woman speaks more than 100 an electric shock is sent through the bracelet and the severity of the shock depends on how many words over the allotted 100 have been spoken. The shock can be debilitating or even cause death." width="213" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=carol0a7-20&amp;l=am2&amp;o=1&amp;a=0440000785" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />In a futuristic United States women have been silenced. Oh, not completely. But almost!<br /><br />Women and girls are outfitted with a "bracelet". Each day the bracelet counts the words spoken and the limit is 100. If a woman speaks more than 100 an electric shock is sent through the bracelet&nbsp;and the severity of the shock depends on how many words over the allotted 100 have been spoken. The shock can be debilitating or even cause death.<br /><br />The transition&nbsp;to this kind of control of women is due to the <i>Pure</i>&nbsp;religious movement whose leader has taken over the country. Men and women are now leading somewhat separate lives. Women cannot work because they cannot speak. Schools are separate because the little girls cannot speak.<br /><br />Two things horrified me (and made me angry) with this book:<br /><br /><ol><li>One was when Jean's (the main character) daughter comes in from school with a message. It seems that her all-girls classroom will have a competition to see who says the least amount of words each day. This particular day the little girl has won. Jean checks Sonia's word counter to find it is at zero. Sonia is six.&nbsp; SIX. And for an entire school day, she has spoken no words.</li><li>The second thing that is atrocious was during a discussion with her husband when Jean is able to talk freely. He responds with this: "You know, babe, sometimes I wonder if it was better when you didn't talk."</li></ol><div>This book will cause you some moments of anger and yet, it has moments when it rings true. Are women's voices heard today? We can certainly say more than 100 words each day, but are we heard?</div><div><br /></div><div>The back story of this book involves Jean's other children and her co-workers from before the bracelets happened and the women's fight to escape this horrible program. 5 Stars!<br /><br /><h3><i>The Storyteller's Secret</i> by Sejal Badani</h3><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1503949087/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=1503949087&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=carol0a7-20&amp;linkId=d26f35286ce793829c97b7c52cdc1060" target="_blank"><img alt="Jaya is a journalist in New York and has suffered through three miscarriages. She and her husband, Patrick, have separated due to the overwhelming grief this has caused them. Then she hears that her grandfather in India is quite ill. Her mother refuses to travel to India to be with him, so Jaya goes. She realizes when she leaves that her family's secrets lie in wait for her, or so she hopes." border="0" height="320" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&amp;MarketPlace=US&amp;ASIN=1503949087&amp;ServiceVersion=20070822&amp;ID=AsinImage&amp;WS=1&amp;Format=_SL250_&amp;tag=carol0a7-20" title="Jaya is a journalist in New York and has suffered through three miscarriages. She and her husband, Patrick, have separated due to the overwhelming grief this has caused them. Then she hears that her grandfather in India is quite ill. Her mother refuses to travel to India to be with him, so Jaya goes. She realizes when she leaves that her family's secrets lie in wait for her, or so she hopes." width="213" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=carol0a7-20&amp;l=am2&amp;o=1&amp;a=1503949087" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />Beautiful book with compelling relationships between the main characters, a hint of sadness, fierce loyalty, and solving mysteries to overcome the past.<br /><br />Jaya is a journalist in New York and has suffered through three miscarriages. She and her husband, Patrick, have separated due to the overwhelming grief this has caused them. Then she hears that her grandfather in India is quite ill. Her mother refuses to travel to India to be with him, so Jaya goes. She realizes when she leaves that her family's secrets lie in wait for her, or so she hopes.<br /><br />Arriving in India, Jaya finds that her grandfather has already died, but then she meets Ravi. Ravi first served the family when her grandmother, Amisha, was alive. Ravi knows the family story and over a period of time, Ravi tells the whole story to Jaya.<br /><br />The stories alternate from Amisha's life to Jaya's present-day life. Ravi begins with Amisha's young marriage, the birth of her sons, and then the arrival of British soldiers that teach in a locally run school. Amisha is a storyteller, a writer, and she wants to go to the school to learn to write in English. At the school, she actually begins to teach writing to the young students as she learns the English language.<br /><br />This is a beautifully written story with fabulous details about the Indian culture. You will love Ravi, who is totally devoted to Amisha. Their witty exchanges are quite funny at times. 5 stars for this one!</div><br /><h3><i>The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell </i>by Robert Dugoni</h3><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1503948978/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=1503948978&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=carol0a7-20&amp;linkId=601646689baeba6493cea785f1e17e68" target="_blank"><img alt="Sam Hill was born with an unusual eye-color, actually pinkish-red. Tormented and bullied in his elementary school, Sam is constantly encouraged by his parents, especially his mother. This book ends up being a fabulous testament to a mother's love and the resilience it presented to a son." border="0" height="320" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&amp;MarketPlace=US&amp;ASIN=1503948978&amp;ServiceVersion=20070822&amp;ID=AsinImage&amp;WS=1&amp;Format=_SL250_&amp;tag=carol0a7-20" title="Sam Hill was born with an unusual eye-color, actually pinkish-red. Tormented and bullied in his elementary school, Sam is constantly encouraged by his parents, especially his mother. This book ends up being a fabulous testament to a mother's love and the resilience it presented to a son." width="213" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=carol0a7-20&amp;l=am2&amp;o=1&amp;a=1503948978" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br /><br />Another beautifully written book with a wonderful story!<br /><br />Sam Hill was born with an unusual eye-color, actually pinkish-red. Tormented and bullied in his elementary school, Sam is constantly encouraged by his parents, especially his mother. This book ends up being a fabulous testament to a mother's love and the resilience it presented to a son.<br /><br />Sam is befriended while still in primary school by two other students that are equally considered misfits as he is. One is Ernie Cantwell, the only African American in the school. The other is Michaela (Mickey) Kennedy, an unfortunate young girl that is virtually raising herself. These three are quite inseparable as youngsters and remain so through college and their lives as young adults.<br /><br />Not unsurprisingly, Sam and Mickey both become ophthalmologists. Ernie plays professional football and then creates a successful computer company.<br /><br />Right in the middle of these are several crises that challenge all three of them, especially Sam. And all through the book the continued devotion of Sam's parents to him and to each other is a remarkable story.<br /><br />This book was mesmerizing! I loved all the characters and really did not want the&nbsp;book to end! This one is well worth your time! Five stars for this one!<br /><br /><h3><i>Girl in Pieces</i> by Kathleen Glasgow</h3><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1101934743/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=1101934743&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=carol0a7-20&amp;linkId=d2704199390d2826d70283799cfe61f8" target="_blank"><img alt="The book opens with Charlie confined to an institution housing young girls with severe emotional problems. She stays there until the hospital lets her know she is not financially able to continue her treatment and she is discharged into her mother's care. Instead, Charlie travels across the US to a friend's home." border="0" height="320" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&amp;MarketPlace=US&amp;ASIN=1101934743&amp;ServiceVersion=20070822&amp;ID=AsinImage&amp;WS=1&amp;Format=_SL250_&amp;tag=carol0a7-20" title="The book opens with Charlie confined to an institution housing young girls with severe emotional problems. She stays there until the hospital lets her know she is not financially able to continue her treatment and she is discharged into her mother's care. Instead, Charlie travels across the US to a friend's home." width="213" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=carol0a7-20&amp;l=am2&amp;o=1&amp;a=1101934743" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br /><br />And the tragic book, but very compelling and a must-read!<br /><br />Charlie, actually Charlotte, is a 17-year old that has been abused, raped, abandoned by her mother, homeless, starving, and more. Her story is tragic and gritty and sad. The way she copes with all of this is to cut herself. In own meager possessions, she keeps a "tinderbox" that has gauze, bandages, peroxide, and pieces of glass. It's her cutting kit and she resorts to this often- to the point that she has scars covering her forearms and thighs.<br /><br />The book opens with Charlie confined to an institution housing young girls with severe emotional problems. She stays there until the hospital lets her know she is not financially able to continue her treatment and she is discharged into her mother's care. Instead, Charlie travels across the US to a friend's home.<br /><br />It is in Arizona that Charlie attempts to recover from her ordeal and this includes getting a job, finding her own place to live, and avoiding alcohol, drugs, and cutting. She meets people at her job and in her apartment hunting that become friends of a sort, but really it is all up to Charlie. Will she make good choices and will she stay away from those that influence her to go back to the old ways?<br /><br />There are so many characters in this book that affect Charlie's life and you will love some of them and hate some of them. The book is well written but in an unusual style. Many of the sections are only a paragraph long. The writing is raw and real and sad.<br /><br />I loved Charlie and wanted her to make it. Five stars for this one! I can highly recommend it!<br /><br /><h3>Which one will you pick to read first? Better yet, try them all!</h3><br /><div><br /></div>Carolhttps://plus.google.com/117070298526139327236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2632736933856843787.post-24989223327661216972019-02-22T05:00:00.000-06:002019-02-22T14:20:38.848-06:00How to Engage Students thru the Windy Month<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The longest month of the year is March.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I know many of you think it is January or May. But I think it's March.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">For my school system, March is the month of Spring Break, which is typically the third week of March. Those first two weeks last forever. Then you have a week-long break.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Then you come back to school and it's still March.&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">If this is true for you, too, let me see if I can help you with a few engaging activities&nbsp;to weather this windy month!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teachersareterrific.com/2019/01/how-to-engage-students-thru-windy-month.html" target="_blank"><img alt="Let me see if I can help you with a few engaging activities to weather this windy month!" border="0" data-original-height="530" data-original-width="1070" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Wun4R4r9HZM/XEI40AncZII/AAAAAAAAwC8/j7n1Jtafln0yoCH6fTzcbvILZgzbiR3xQCLcBGAs/s1600/march%2Bslider%2Bjpg.jpg" title="Let me see if I can help you with a few engaging activities to weather this windy month!" /></a></div><br /><br /><br /><a name='more'></a>I have some STEM Challenges, a math resource, and an Escape Room&nbsp;to share!<br /><br />The STEM Challenges&nbsp;all have a "wind" theme - for the month of March. But, one of the challenges has a sports theme because of March Madness (for basketball) and the Escape Room is sports related. The Math resource is about Pi Day. Take a look!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><h3>WIND CARS</h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>This STEM Challenge is one of our favorites and I know I say that all the time. I guess we just love anything STEM. Wind Cars has an unusual premise.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Challenge-Wind-Powered-Car-2398839" target="_blank"><img alt="A STEM Challenge perfect for the windy month of March. Students use easy to gather materials to build car that is powered by the wind! You will love the easy prep and your kids will love competing! #STEM #elementary" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1011" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lyZpcG1NFpM/XEI46Ioxr9I/AAAAAAAAwDA/Kk6aBtY5SooIWotV1Z7R0P97a0iRctFoQCLcBGAs/s400/Slide3.JPG" title="A STEM Challenge perfect for the windy month of March. Students use easy to gather materials to build car that is powered by the wind! You will love the easy prep and your kids will love competing! #STEM #elementary" width="252" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Using the very basic of materials (cardboard tubes) students make a rolling car that must be powered by the wind. They must make their wheels round and they must factor in the sailing ability of the car!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>TIP</b>: The wheels do matter! They have to be the right size and fairly round. For my younger students, I cut the wheels out for them. For 4th and 5th grade- they cut their own. Another thing that matters with this challenge is the sail on the car. Kids will try all sorts of creative and sporty looking sails, but it must catch air and in the right place when the fan is turned on.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Challenge-Wind-Powered-Car-2398839" target="_blank"><img alt="A STEM Challenge perfect for the windy month of March. Students use easy to gather materials to build car that is powered by the wind! You will love the easy prep and your kids will love competing! #STEM #elementary" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1011" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gOjvbKD26pk/XEI47QfHJqI/AAAAAAAAwDQ/8BDnq_l6_bIFK109a0iZwZungQesXfIrACLcBGAs/s400/Slide5.JPG" title="A STEM Challenge perfect for the windy month of March. Students use easy to gather materials to build car that is powered by the wind! You will love the easy prep and your kids will love competing! #STEM #elementary" width="252" /></a><br /><br />My favorite&nbsp;part of this challenge&nbsp;is the extras that kids add to the cars. Most of them will add a driver, steering wheels, and even pedals. I also see license plates a lot!<br /><h3></h3><h3><br /></h3><h3>WINDMILLS</h3>With older kids, you will really enjoy&nbsp;the Windmill challenge!<br /><br />I would&nbsp;advise this for 5th grade or above because it is challenging. Getting those windmill blades to turn is quite tricky.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Challenge-Build-a-Windmill-2404844" target="_blank"><img alt="Perfect STEM Challenge for the month of March! Students build a structure for a working windmill which includes making the blade wheel. This challenging STEM project will keep your kids busy during the windy month of March! #STEM #elementary" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1011" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-L09_qly29XM/XEI46-LEt0I/AAAAAAAAwDM/HXFppAZsbdoLBE6FPsV9nc_X5sHsvlYBACLcBGAs/s400/Slide4.JPG" title="Perfect STEM Challenge for the month of March! Students build a structure for a working windmill which includes making the blade wheel. This challenging STEM project will keep your kids busy during the windy month of March! #STEM #elementary" width="252" /></a></div>The turning mechanism involves an axle type contraption and then the blades have to be attached. We have tried a little bit of everything for this. Above, in the top photo, you can see a wooden disc that worked well. Above, in the bottom photo, the team has used a sewing bobbin. I really thought those bobbins&nbsp;would work great, but they are very small and it's hard to get blades attached.<br /><br /><b>TIP</b>: You do not need a fancy blade holder- a circular piece of cardboard would be fine.<br /><h3><br /></h3><h3>WIND BOATS</h3><div>My third graders go crazy whenever we build any type of boat and this one is perfect for them. It's a simple design with some experimenting before they make the final boats.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Challenge-Build-a-Wind-Powered-Boat-2402419" target="_blank"><img alt="Perfect STEM Challenge for the month of March! Students test various kinds of sails and then use the wind to power the final Wind Boat design! #STEM #elementary" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1011" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NdNhT2Sp2AQ/XEI470HmjaI/AAAAAAAAwDU/6cXlm6MB21cGwk0v1baGzgw3T0RZYYj0gCLcBGAs/s400/Slide6.JPG" title="Perfect STEM Challenge for the month of March! Students test various kinds of sails and then use the wind to power the final Wind Boat design! #STEM #elementary" width="252" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We test many shapes of sails and then the students choose a final sail based on the data from experiments. The best part of this challenge is the boat itself. It's a pool noodle so it will definitely float. The challenge is more about the sail and not about making a boat at all.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>TIP</b>: Don't buy pool noodles from a pool supply company! They cost way too much. Try the dollar store or Wal Mart!</div><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></h3><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></h3><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">MARCH MADNESS</h3>Oh, basketball, how we love you! My students are probably just like yours when they get excited about any major tournament time. The college&nbsp;basketball series in March is one we hear about a lot.<br /><br />That makes this challenge perfect for March. It's all about basketball!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Challenge-Basketball-Goals-2820734" target="_blank"><img alt="A perfect STEM Challenge for March Madness or any time. Take advantage of the interest your elementary students have in basketball in March and try this fun STEM project to build a basketball goal and a way to throw the ball. #STEM #elementary" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1011" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YI9Kmzhz-nk/XEI48VmFlEI/AAAAAAAAwDY/_8gvQ-URnSsiHmQQ1alHOckhtty4etGvwCLcBGAs/s400/Slide7.JPG" title="A perfect STEM Challenge for March Madness or any time. Take advantage of the interest your elementary students have in basketball in March and try this fun STEM project to build a basketball goal and a way to throw the ball. #STEM #elementary" width="252" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Students have to design the backboard, hoop, and net for the challenge and they must also build a device to throw the ball. They absolutely love this challenge- especially competing after every team has a finished model.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Challenge-Basketball-Goals-2820734" target="_blank"><img alt="A perfect STEM Challenge for March Madness or any time. Take advantage of the interest your elementary students have in basketball in March and try this fun STEM project to build a basketball goal and a way to throw the ball. #STEM #elementary" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1011" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QB_XCkTzF0c/XEI48-7LnhI/AAAAAAAAwDc/FM5ZO8xhpBIWE7VXEps03X8cLQ-8jq2CQCLcBGAs/s400/Slide8.JPG" title="A perfect STEM Challenge for March Madness or any time. Take advantage of the interest your elementary students have in basketball in March and try this fun STEM project to build a basketball goal and a way to throw the ball. #STEM #elementary" width="252" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>TIP</b>: I buy netting by the yard from the fabric department of Wal Mart and it lasts for a long time.&nbsp;</div><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></h3><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></h3><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">SPORTS ESCAPE ROOM</h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This Escape Rom has a unique twist to it!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Students complete three tasks. After they finish all the tasks each team can earn extra points by taking part in three sports activities- like a football toss, a target throw, and a basketball toss.&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Escape-Room-featuring-Sports-4126491" target="_blank"><img alt="An Escape Room for March Madness or any time. Take advantage of the interest your elementary students have in basketball in March or football in the fall and try this fun set of tasks with boxes to unlock! #STEM #escaperoom" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="836" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SXHoiBKQ4ik/XEI5THEMk0I/AAAAAAAAwD4/K3mf6glpJkkptNgirc3E_doVi-0sZQbmgCEwYBhgL/s640/pin%2B2.jpg" title="An Escape Room for March Madness or any time. Take advantage of the interest your elementary students have in basketball in March or football in the fall and try this fun set of tasks with boxes to unlock! #STEM #escaperoom" width="332" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Each team receives points for the order in which they finished unlocking all the boxes. Those points added to the extra points from the sports events determines the winner. My students loved, loved this one- it was a little noisy, I must say!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>TIP</b>: If you have not tried an Escape Room yet, you need to do this. It will be chaotic for the first time, but your students will love the event so much. Mine beg to do these every week.</div><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></h3><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></h3><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">PI DAY (March 14th)</h3><div>Calculating the circumference and the area of a circle is quite challenging, so I decided to try something a little different in this math resource.</div><div><br /></div><div>Rather than using pi for calculating, the problems use the number 3.14. So, a problem might be 3.14 x 78. It's just a fun way to use the number representation for pi and the kids enjoyed the fun facts on each page. There is also one page that actually calculates the area of a circle.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Pi-Day-Math-Print-and-Solve-Gr-5-3663241" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1011" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FjdJ779U7s0/XEI46OY4ACI/AAAAAAAAwDI/8YwGjGgW5QcE26Nvjtb_BB4_luM1W203gCEwYBhgL/s400/Slide2.JPG" width="252" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">My math resources are perfect for early finishers, sub days, and centers.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Grab one of these fun activities and keep those students engaged during this busy month!</h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Sellers-Im-Following/Add/Teachers-Are-Terrific" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="106" data-original-width="702" height="60" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-j_ufQBc5KRc/XEI5VQkAA1I/AAAAAAAAwD8/fKOC1BvPG7o7sRpoyNBYJ_T67WiIYjjwQCLcBGAs/s400/airplane%2Btpt%2Bbutton.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.teachersareterrific.com/2019/01/how-to-engage-students-thru-windy-month.html" target="_blank"><img alt="Perfect resources to keep your elementary students engaged during the month of March. This post shares STEM Challenges, an Escape Room, a math resource for Pi Day, and lots of tips. #STEM #escaperoom #elementary" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1011" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YuMbmY2ONz8/XEI46BQXJlI/AAAAAAAAwDE/zd7_FktilMIUJIpY_hPXQezLAdttmo1vACEwYBhgL/s640/Slide1.JPG" title="Perfect resources to keep your elementary students engaged during the month of March. This post shares STEM Challenges, an Escape Room, a math resource for Pi Day, and lots of tips. #STEM #escaperoom #elementary" width="404" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br />Carolhttps://plus.google.com/117070298526139327236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2632736933856843787.post-25097690124307610322019-02-15T05:00:00.000-06:002019-02-15T07:41:16.605-06:00Everything You Need to Know about Using Cardboard in STEM<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">There are two materials we use in STEM class every day.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Cardboard and masking tape.&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Mind you, the cardboard can be card stock or brown cardboard or even foam board. The masking tape is a heavy duty, very sticky brand that works well. We prefer thin tape.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So, you would have&nbsp;to think that we (I mean, myself and the students) have mastered these two materials. We should be experts by now, right?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Well, a little. Let's see if we can share some tips with you!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teachersareterrific.com/2019/02/everything-you-need-to-know-about-using.html" target="_blank"><img alt="Tips and tricks for using cardboard in STEM class. This post includes close up views of 3-D models of cardboard techniques and how to make them. Create your own Cardboard Techniques poster using these tips!" border="0" data-original-height="530" data-original-width="1070" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cYaDY21CPEs/XFzVHnWXYGI/AAAAAAAAw0E/bEg5U4KiwlgydjXp04R9cJBQJ1ouhfd2QCLcBGAs/s1600/cardboard%2Bslider%2Bjpg.jpg" title="Tips and tricks for using cardboard in STEM class. This post includes close up views of 3-D models of cardboard techniques and how to make them. Create your own Cardboard Techniques poster using these tips!" /></a></div><br /><br /><br /><a name='more'></a><h3>Did you notice all those really interesting&nbsp;connections in the picture above?</h3><div>Those were created when I realized students needed an easy reference to remember attaching methods that could help them make a structure work.</div><div><br /></div><div>There is a little story behind this. Take a look at this photo:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teachersareterrific.com/2019/02/everything-you-need-to-know-about-using.html" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="1152" height="400" nopin="nopin" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Y2pGeWDxoLg/XF4isoNeL8I/AAAAAAAAw2E/rhiT3cPgQugo92IWYrZZxr2m9lDDevaDwCLcBGAs/s400/fixed.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">On the left (red arrow) you can see a group struggling to get those tubes to stand upright. The way they are using the tape is the problem. On the right (yellow arrow) this team is using a flange made of the tape.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This is one way to solve that taping problem. But, now take a look at the next photo.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teachersareterrific.com/2019/02/everything-you-need-to-know-about-using.html" target="_blank"><img alt="Tips and tricks for using cardboard in STEM class. This post includes close up views of 3-D models of cardboard techniques and how to make them. Create your own Cardboard Techniques poster using these tips!" border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="1152" height="400" nopin="nopin" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-R0t_VKyQMy4/XFzV3ECD4-I/AAAAAAAAw08/YUUk0SoCTLQ_UWu7JIZPD1n3JlseShXgQCLcBGAs/s400/Slide7.JPG" title="Tips and tricks for using cardboard in STEM class. This post includes close up views of 3-D models of cardboard techniques and how to make them. Create your own Cardboard Techniques poster using these tips!" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">What if you make the flange along the bottom of the cardboard tube? Now, you have little tabs that fold out and those can be taped in place. What a great support system all the way around.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>HOW TO:</b> Cut short lines all the way around the bottom of a tube, about an inch apart. Fold the tabs out and tape each tab in place.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So, okay, are there more of these tricks?</h3><div>Actually, yes. Now, I cannot take credit for inventing these. I found several different&nbsp;posters on Pinterest and then made my own. (The complete poster is at the end of this post.)</div><div></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teachersareterrific.com/2019/02/everything-you-need-to-know-about-using.html" target="_blank"><img alt="Tips and tricks for using cardboard in STEM class. This post includes close up views of 3-D models of cardboard techniques and how to make them. Create your own Cardboard Techniques poster using these tips!" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1011" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8YWmrOQh6J4/XFzVQMXVAZI/AAAAAAAAw0I/A8N3Q_z_dGEPQxnZJUNNS_YKAfqnzWpDQCLcBGAs/s640/Slide1.JPG" title="Tips and tricks for using cardboard in STEM class. This post includes close up views of 3-D models of cardboard techniques and how to make them. Create your own Cardboard Techniques poster using these tips!" width="404" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Let's learn how to make these four!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><h3>THE INSERT</h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teachersareterrific.com/2019/02/everything-you-need-to-know-about-using.html" target="_blank"><img alt="Tips and tricks for using cardboard in STEM class. This post includes close up views of 3-D models of cardboard techniques and how to make them. Create your own Cardboard Techniques poster using these tips!" border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="1152" height="400" nopin="nopin" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wHIk7nWS5bs/XFzVY1x_3kI/AAAAAAAAw0U/qXB7bhcuvUs4sS3jopCEU0zCkAeP3t9dQCLcBGAs/s400/Slide2.JPG" title="Tips and tricks for using cardboard in STEM class. This post includes close up views of 3-D models of cardboard techniques and how to make them. Create your own Cardboard Techniques poster using these tips!" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>HOW TO:</b> Fold a flap&nbsp;at each end of the cardboard. Fold the cardboard in half.&nbsp; Cut a slit in the location you need to use for threading another material through the shape. Tape the bottom flaps in place. This could&nbsp;be&nbsp;used for creating a cranking device. The inserted object would be the material&nbsp;you would turn to make the crank work.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">TABS</h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teachersareterrific.com/2019/02/everything-you-need-to-know-about-using.html" target="_blank"><img alt="Tips and tricks for using cardboard in STEM class. This post includes close up views of 3-D models of cardboard techniques and how to make them. Create your own Cardboard Techniques poster using these tips!" border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="1152" height="400" nopin="nopin" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZgA3z0fZKyg/XFzVY9-A7fI/AAAAAAAAw0Y/Yun3GhJLhlYwCJRN3t6hU4XQg7DVYuZKwCLcBGAs/s400/Slide4.JPG" title="Tips and tricks for using cardboard in STEM class. This post includes close up views of 3-D models of cardboard techniques and how to make them. Create your own Cardboard Techniques poster using these tips!" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>HOW TO: </b>Cut one inch long slits in two places along one edge of the cardboard. Fold the two spots on each end in one direction and the middle spot in the opposite direction. Now, you have three places to add tape. This is perfect for creating walls.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">NOTCHES</h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teachersareterrific.com/2019/02/everything-you-need-to-know-about-using.html" target="_blank"><img alt="Tips and tricks for using cardboard in STEM class. This post includes close up views of 3-D models of cardboard techniques and how to make them. Create your own Cardboard Techniques poster using these tips!" border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="1152" height="400" nopin="nopin" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FTTO6xZkA5I/XFzVY-pzXYI/AAAAAAAAw0c/9Pd4S5nAd6sZt4mNGbf7UGRjIj7aUoOZwCLcBGAs/s400/Slide5.JPG" title="Tips and tricks for using cardboard in STEM class. This post includes close up views of 3-D models of cardboard techniques and how to make them. Create your own Cardboard Techniques poster using these tips!" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>HOW TO:</b> Fold each end of a piece of cardboard making flaps. Fold the cardboard in half. ALong the top of the triangle you just made cut&nbsp;notches. Now another piece of cardboard can lay in those notches. This is perfect for creating space between two floors of a house.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><h3>GUSSETS</h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teachersareterrific.com/2019/02/everything-you-need-to-know-about-using.html" target="_blank"><img alt="Tips and tricks for using cardboard in STEM class. This post includes close up views of 3-D models of cardboard techniques and how to make them. Create your own Cardboard Techniques poster using these tips!" border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="1152" height="400" nopin="nopin" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qxnNZCtSC9w/XFzVZpeizCI/AAAAAAAAw0g/dcytY_yedzkFAwQMlS6HV-0Hfj0vIBosgCLcBGAs/s400/Slide6.JPG" title="Tips and tricks for using cardboard in STEM class. This post includes close up views of 3-D models of cardboard techniques and how to make them. Create your own Cardboard Techniques poster using these tips!" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>HOW TO:</b> Cut three small triangles the same size. Glue one edge to a piece of cardboard to make the "shelf". Glue the back side of the shelf and the back of each triangle to another piece of cardboard. The bottom cardboard is now attached to your structure. This would also be a great wall.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">STORAGE</h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I have a lot of cardboard!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teachersareterrific.com/2019/02/everything-you-need-to-know-about-using.html" target="_blank"><img alt="Tips and tricks for using cardboard in STEM class. This post includes close up views of 3-D models of cardboard techniques and how to make them. Create your own Cardboard Techniques poster using these tips!" border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="768" height="400" nopin="nopin" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hpbH0Auni98/XFzVtHBdNNI/AAAAAAAAw04/PmSoPa7kNv83AYerRzl3ozKxQKxILcbpQCLcBGAs/s400/cardboard.jpg" title="Tips and tricks for using cardboard in STEM class. This post includes close up views of 3-D models of cardboard techniques and how to make them. Create your own Cardboard Techniques poster using these tips!" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I save boxes and have parents send in empty boxes. I cut these into smaller pieces and store them in plastic or cardboard boxes. I try to keep the pieces arranged in boxes by size!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>TIP</b>: Ask you cafeteria and office to save boxes for you!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">MORE TECHNIQUES - THE FASTENER</h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teachersareterrific.com/2019/02/everything-you-need-to-know-about-using.html" target="_blank"><img alt="Tips and tricks for using cardboard in STEM class. This post includes close up views of 3-D models of cardboard techniques and how to make them. Create your own Cardboard Techniques poster using these tips!" border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="1152" height="400" nopin="nopin" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GruBbjcpryQ/XFzV3Ro7uSI/AAAAAAAAw1E/1rI_EsxS_tM6S23w6ddO-xA2dzDmNgD1ACLcBGAs/s400/Slide1.JPG" title="Tips and tricks for using cardboard in STEM class. This post includes close up views of 3-D models of cardboard techniques and how to make them. Create your own Cardboard Techniques poster using these tips!" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">If your students ever build anything that needs to spin this is the trick for you.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>HOW TO:</b> Use a hole puncher to make a hole through your larger piece of cardboard. Cut the spinning part and punch a hole in one end of it. Use a metal fastener to thread through both pieces and you have a spinner!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">INSERTS</h3><a href="https://www.teachersareterrific.com/2019/02/everything-you-need-to-know-about-using.html" target="_blank"><img alt="Tips and tricks for using cardboard in STEM class. This post includes close up views of 3-D models of cardboard techniques and how to make them. Create your own Cardboard Techniques poster using these tips!" border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="1152" height="400" nopin="nopin" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_e_mWm6pSJM/XFzV3czHI_I/AAAAAAAAw1A/0WennvRpOmMVlvRpXIBDyU_QFDw_o-MHgCLcBGAs/s400/Slide3.JPG" title="Tips and tricks for using cardboard in STEM class. This post includes close up views of 3-D models of cardboard techniques and how to make them. Create your own Cardboard Techniques poster using these tips!" width="400" /></a><br /><b>HOW TO:</b> Cut two pieces of cardboard the same size. Cut a slit in the center of both. Now just slide them together using the slits you just made. This makes a shape that can be a support for a tower!<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">THE POSTER</h3><div>I created models of 12 different cardboard techniques to use as a reference when students need an idea. The backing is a piece of white foam board (buy this at the Dollar Tree).</div><div><br /></div><div>I created all the attaching models and hot glued them to my foam board. I want them to stay in place!</div><div><br /></div><div>The labels are just an easy-to-read font printed on Astrobright's paper. My poster has a larger matching title: Cardboard Attaching Techniques.</div><div><br /></div><div>Finally, I hot glued it to my wall - low enough for kids to see it and make use of it!</div><div><br /></div><h3>Did you get some ideas? I hope so!</h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.teachersareterrific.com/2019/02/everything-you-need-to-know-about-using.html" target="_blank"><img alt="Tips and tricks for using cardboard in STEM class. This post includes close up views of 3-D models of cardboard techniques and how to make them. Create your own Cardboard Techniques poster using these tips!" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1011" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LZq6vuc_ytA/XFzVTmVuy-I/AAAAAAAAw0k/WbIqkRaobDQ1V8RzIyaQD2w956ZVq5P9ACEwYBhgL/s640/Slide2.JPG" title="Tips and tricks for using cardboard in STEM class. This post includes close up views of 3-D models of cardboard techniques and how to make them. Create your own Cardboard Techniques poster using these tips!" width="404" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Sellers-Im-Following/Add/Teachers-Are-Terrific" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="106" data-original-width="702" height="60" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-X5BVlvF3UXk/XFzV-vLITVI/AAAAAAAAw1M/ZOmrFlKsaMknVHVt0y5onWGC45C9-sdagCLcBGAs/s400/airplane%2Btpt%2Bbutton.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br />Carolhttps://plus.google.com/117070298526139327236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2632736933856843787.post-6415182125386045792019-02-08T05:00:00.000-06:002019-02-10T07:57:41.039-06:00The Best STEM Tower Ever!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Without a doubt, this <a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Challenge-Index-Card-Tower-1217602" target="_blank">little challenge</a> is one of the best ever! It's super simple and amazingly complex.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I know, oxymoron, right? Let me explain!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The simplicity is for you since the challenge uses one material. The complexity is for the students because this challenge is not easy for them. Oh, they think it will be, but it turns out to be frustrating.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Trust me- there will be groaning.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teachersareterrific.com/2019/01/the-best-stem-tower-ever.html" target="_blank"><img alt="This STEM Tower Challenge is one of the easiest to prepare and the most challenging to complete! It's a perfect challenge to get all kids involved in problem-solving and practicing perseverance. For you, it involves prepping only one material. The resource includes a detailed Teacher's Guide, hints, lab sheets, photos, and a bonus Christmas version of the challenge. #STEM #elementary" border="0" data-original-height="530" data-original-width="1070" height="316" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-27Ify4QwmE0/XDu1fzkFmvI/AAAAAAAAv5I/nlpPJeowA1YOpZJxtjZKtGV-07wdsl0ZQCLcBGAs/s640/IC%2Btower%2Bslider%2Bjpg.jpg" title="This STEM Tower Challenge is one of the easiest to prepare and the most challenging to complete! It's a perfect challenge to get all kids involved in problem-solving and practicing perseverance. For you, it involves prepping only one material. The resource includes a detailed Teacher's Guide, hints, lab sheets, photos, and a bonus Christmas version of the challenge. #STEM #elementary" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><a name='more'></a><div style="text-align: left;">&nbsp;<i><span style="color: #302a2c; font-family: &quot;century gothic&quot; , sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.25pt;">I</span></i><i><span style="color: #302a2c; font-family: &quot;inherit&quot; , serif; letter-spacing: 0.25pt;">n this post, for your convenience, you may find Amazon Affiliate links to resources. This means that with your purchase of items Amazon will pass on small percentages to me. This will not create extra costs for you at all! It will help me keep this blog running!</span></i><br /><div><i><span style="color: #302a2c; font-family: &quot;inherit&quot; , serif; letter-spacing: 0.25pt;"><br /></span></i></div><h3><i><span style="color: #302a2c; font-family: &quot;inherit&quot; , serif; letter-spacing: 0.25pt;">This is the perfect <a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Challenge-Index-Card-Tower-1217602" target="_blank">challenge </a>to get your kids started with STEM!</span></i></h3></div><ul><li>They can be creative.</li><li>They can try unusual designs.</li><li>They might try something even more challenging!</li><li>They can try a traditional card stacking method.</li><li>They will be competitive!</li><li>Christmas Version!</li></ul><div><br /></div><h3>Creativity</h3>Kids will try so many ways to build this tower of cards. They will fold the cards, make zig-zags, try boxes, and a lot of the cards will be rolled.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Challenge-Index-Card-Tower-1217602?aref=t9bib0dj&amp;utm_source=my%20blog&amp;utm_campaign=Index%20Card%20Towers%202819" target="_blank"><img alt="This STEM Tower Challenge is one of the easiest to prepare and the most challenging to complete! It's a perfect challenge to get all kids involved in problem-solving and practicing perseverance. For you, it involves prepping only one material. The resource includes a detailed Teacher's Guide, hints, lab sheets, photos, and a bonus Christmas version of the challenge. #STEM #elementary" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1011" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rP9Fdoo9LEQ/XDu1mhLyOBI/AAAAAAAAv5M/JD6LXHiMeKAPfoynKEl5OuIe00_C9oW0gCLcBGAs/s640/Slide1.JPG" title="This STEM Tower Challenge is one of the easiest to prepare and the most challenging to complete! It's a perfect challenge to get all kids involved in problem-solving and practicing perseverance. For you, it involves prepping only one material. The resource includes a detailed Teacher's Guide, hints, lab sheets, photos, and a bonus Christmas version of the challenge. #STEM #elementary" width="404" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>TIP</b>: Any size index card will work fine and I don't count the cards. I take a new stack and give each group about the same amount. It's always too many! The towers will reach a height that can't&nbsp;be improved on because they collapse so easily.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>TIP</b>: Do you use tape? I have tried masking tape with this challenge, but only once. I found that the tape presented too many extra problems. Some of the more elaborate designs (like the ones in the photos above) are using tape. Kids will try&nbsp;sculptural arrangements because of the tape. They are creative, but rarely stand up.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Unusual Designs</h3>Speaking of unusual designs... take a look at second graders completing this task.<br /><br />(They do have tape because they are 2nd graders!)&nbsp; I watched these really small children inventing all sorts of ways to make the cards&nbsp;stand up. They really wanted a rolled card. This is harder to make than you would think.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Challenge-Index-Card-Tower-1217602?aref=t9bib0dj&amp;utm_source=my%20blog&amp;utm_campaign=Index%20Card%20Towers%202819" target="_blank"><img alt="This STEM Tower Challenge is one of the easiest to prepare and the most challenging to complete! It's a perfect challenge to get all kids involved in problem-solving and practicing perseverance. For you, it involves prepping only one material. The resource includes a detailed Teacher's Guide, hints, lab sheets, photos, and a bonus Christmas version of the challenge. #STEM #elementary" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1011" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sfNM-bPKuxc/XDu1mkFQf2I/AAAAAAAAv5Q/udLQ9V_cDyAZn4HLsC83N3FCcu_NkDMkwCLcBGAs/s640/Slide2.JPG" title="This STEM Tower Challenge is one of the easiest to prepare and the most challenging to complete! It's a perfect challenge to get all kids involved in problem-solving and practicing perseverance. For you, it involves prepping only one material. The resource includes a detailed Teacher's Guide, hints, lab sheets, photos, and a bonus Christmas version of the challenge. #STEM #elementary" width="404" /></a></div><b><br /></b> <b>TIP</b>: The trick with a rolled card is the edges. They must be aligned so the card will stand without slanting. This is hard to do with second grade and the tape helped them. With older students, they have to roll the cards tightly and they do stay together even without tape.<br /><br /><br /><h3>Challenging Designs</h3><div>The rolled&nbsp;cards and many floors is a popular way to solve this challenge.</div><div><br /></div><div>What the kids can't foresee is that the bottom&nbsp;layer must be very sturdy in order to hold up the weight of all those top layers. It makes this design the most challenging way to complete this project.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Challenge-Index-Card-Tower-1217602?aref=t9bib0dj&amp;utm_source=my%20blog&amp;utm_campaign=Index%20Card%20Towers%202819" target="_blank"><img alt="This STEM Tower Challenge is one of the easiest to prepare and the most challenging to complete! It's a perfect challenge to get all kids involved in problem-solving and practicing perseverance. For you, it involves prepping only one material. The resource includes a detailed Teacher's Guide, hints, lab sheets, photos, and a bonus Christmas version of the challenge. #STEM #elementary" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1011" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TXkc0N02C9s/XDu1mmo6gxI/AAAAAAAAv5U/Lj-rL2V6ZzIJQDRQ2CrBWiRqZlEXzR8-gCLcBGAs/s640/Slide3.JPG" title="This STEM Tower Challenge is one of the easiest to prepare and the most challenging to complete! It's a perfect challenge to get all kids involved in problem-solving and practicing perseverance. For you, it involves prepping only one material. The resource includes a detailed Teacher's Guide, hints, lab sheets, photos, and a bonus Christmas version of the challenge. #STEM #elementary" width="404" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In the two photos above you can probably&nbsp;guess which tower toppled first. The one on the left fell over because of the bottom and middle support legs. The team used only two rolled card columns. On the right, the team used five columns which give more support for the upper decks.</div><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></h3><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Traditional Card Stacking</h3>Someone always discovers the real trick to this challenge. Fold a card in half and use it as the "column" that holds up a flat card and just keep repeating.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Challenge-Index-Card-Tower-1217602?aref=t9bib0dj&amp;utm_source=my%20blog&amp;utm_campaign=Index%20Card%20Towers%202819" target="_blank"><img alt="This STEM Tower Challenge is one of the easiest to prepare and the most challenging to complete! It's a perfect challenge to get all kids involved in problem-solving and practicing perseverance. For you, it involves prepping only one material. The resource includes a detailed Teacher's Guide, hints, lab sheets, photos, and a bonus Christmas version of the challenge. #STEM #elementary" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1011" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_GAUa6SOQYs/XDu1nFyCGSI/AAAAAAAAv5Y/onulaOqdCkoLtIGd1hMZ6343-BErrNnUgCLcBGAs/s640/Slide4.JPG" title="This STEM Tower Challenge is one of the easiest to prepare and the most challenging to complete! It's a perfect challenge to get all kids involved in problem-solving and practicing perseverance. For you, it involves prepping only one material. The resource includes a detailed Teacher's Guide, hints, lab sheets, photos, and a bonus Christmas version of the challenge. #STEM #elementary" width="404" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Above, these second graders made side by side towers when their first model became too tall to add any more cards. (They are short kids!)</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Challenge-Index-Card-Tower-1217602?aref=t9bib0dj&amp;utm_source=my%20blog&amp;utm_campaign=Index%20Card%20Towers%202819" target="_blank"><img alt="This STEM Tower Challenge is one of the easiest to prepare and the most challenging to complete! It's a perfect challenge to get all kids involved in problem-solving and practicing perseverance. For you, it involves prepping only one material. The resource includes a detailed Teacher's Guide, hints, lab sheets, photos, and a bonus Christmas version of the challenge. #STEM #elementary" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1011" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pCzuYzivkxw/XDu1ns1DyeI/AAAAAAAAv5c/oRGpWCd9rjEYsX6m2KeQFj01QgxPtYDOQCLcBGAs/s640/Slide5.JPG" title="This STEM Tower Challenge is one of the easiest to prepare and the most challenging to complete! It's a perfect challenge to get all kids involved in problem-solving and practicing perseverance. For you, it involves prepping only one material. The resource includes a detailed Teacher's Guide, hints, lab sheets, photos, and a bonus Christmas version of the challenge. #STEM #elementary" width="404" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Above, I watched this fifth grader meticulously place each card so that it was perfectly centered, aligned, and balanced before he would move to the next card or layer. It fell down, a lot....</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>TIP</b>: These towers are quite precarious and every tower will eventually collapse. This is such a perfect opportunity for kids to practice perseverance and patience. We have learned to just take deep breaths and start all over. My tip is to just sympathize with the frustrated students and encourage them to think about what made it fall and try not to let that happen again. (Which is easier said than done because sometimes they fall due to someone breathing on them!)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Competitions!</h3>Oh my, this <a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Challenge-Index-Card-Tower-1217602" target="_blank">challenge </a>is one of the most competitive that we complete. Every group wants to have the tallest tower possible. Just imagine what happened one day when I told a fifth-grade class that the second graders had towers so tall they had to stand on their chairs to place the top cards.<br /><br />They got busy quickly to beat the heights of those 2nd-grade towers! (By the way, I do sometimes have to use two meter sticks together to measure the heights of these!)<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Challenge-Index-Card-Tower-1217602?aref=t9bib0dj&amp;utm_source=my%20blog&amp;utm_campaign=Index%20Card%20Towers%202819" target="_blank"><img alt="This STEM Tower Challenge is one of the easiest to prepare and the most challenging to complete! It's a perfect challenge to get all kids involved in problem-solving and practicing perseverance. For you, it involves prepping only one material. The resource includes a detailed Teacher's Guide, hints, lab sheets, photos, and a bonus Christmas version of the challenge. #STEM #elementary" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1011" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zRVf5p86cNY/XDu1oPlxsjI/AAAAAAAAv5g/kG1eoWvVl8IvGrzIEOKgntQZJR2d8NkbgCLcBGAs/s640/Slide6.JPG" title="This STEM Tower Challenge is one of the easiest to prepare and the most challenging to complete! It's a perfect challenge to get all kids involved in problem-solving and practicing perseverance. For you, it involves prepping only one material. The resource includes a detailed Teacher's Guide, hints, lab sheets, photos, and a bonus Christmas version of the challenge. #STEM #elementary" width="404" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Christmas Bonus!</h3><div>This <a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Challenge-Index-Card-Tower-1217602" target="_blank">Tower resource</a> has an additional version that features a way to use the idea at Christmas time.</div><div>Even if we have already completed this tower earlier in the school year we still do it again in December with the added material (think Santa)!&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><h3>Try this one soon!</h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oBYoQ76WfIA/XDu1xq0wFcI/AAAAAAAAv5k/1chuSGIp4uMDunauKVXoBKp3wlEvZBZzQCLcBGAs/s1600/airplane%2Btpt%2Bbutton.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="106" data-original-width="702" height="60" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oBYoQ76WfIA/XDu1xq0wFcI/AAAAAAAAv5k/1chuSGIp4uMDunauKVXoBKp3wlEvZBZzQCLcBGAs/s400/airplane%2Btpt%2Bbutton.png" width="400" /></a></div><script type="text/javascript">amzn_assoc_placement = "adunit0"; amzn_assoc_search_bar = "true"; amzn_assoc_tracking_id = "carol0a7-20"; amzn_assoc_ad_mode = "manual"; amzn_assoc_ad_type = "smart"; amzn_assoc_marketplace = "amazon"; amzn_assoc_region = "US"; amzn_assoc_title = "My Amazon Picks"; amzn_assoc_linkid = "3cc7fb170985a491423f7cd62739e5de"; amzn_assoc_asins = "B06XSXXKFZ,B06XSRLP51,B007FDDLB0,B01BEPMJU8"; </script> <script src="//z-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/onejs?MarketPlace=US"></script><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br />Carolhttps://plus.google.com/117070298526139327236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2632736933856843787.post-27320372122784822312019-02-01T05:00:00.000-06:002019-02-01T05:00:04.062-06:00Just How Much Popcorn Do You have?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">If you have students that struggle with understanding volume - this is the challenge for you! Especially with my third graders, it is so hard to help them visualize the meaning of volume.&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">One thing I have tried is to tell them to think about placing a fence around the outer edge of the classroom. That would be perimeter. Think about putting carpet in the classroom. That would be the area. Now, fill the room with water like a swimming pool. That is volume.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This Popcorn Challenge will help understand that concept even better because it is hands-on!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teachersareterrific.com/2019/01/just-how-much-popcorn-do-you-have.html" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="530" data-original-width="1070" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WlQElA1Jf2g/XDvgwf5XqBI/AAAAAAAAv6E/Z_JO9TRomRcnE-_0-fexWvEFLOG4sLyiACLcBGAs/s1600/popcorn%2Bslider%2Bjpg.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><a name='more'></a><div style="text-align: left;"></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><i><span style="color: #302a2c; font-family: &quot;century gothic&quot; , sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.25pt;">I</span></i><i><span style="color: #302a2c; font-family: &quot;inherit&quot; , serif; letter-spacing: 0.25pt;">n this post, for your convenience, you may find Amazon Affiliate links to resources. This means that with your purchase of items Amazon will pass on small percentages to me. This will not create extra costs for you at all! It will help me keep this blog running!</span></i><br /><div><i><span style="color: #302a2c; font-family: &quot;inherit&quot; , serif; letter-spacing: 0.25pt;"><br /></span></i></div><h3><i><span style="color: #302a2c; font-family: &quot;inherit&quot; , serif; letter-spacing: 0.25pt;">The Popcorn Book <span style="font-weight: normal;">by Tomie De Paola</span></span></i></h3><div><div style="text-align: left;">This challenge was inspired by the cutest little book called&nbsp;<i>The Popcorn Book</i>&nbsp;by Tomie De Paola.</div><div style="text-align: left;">It's a great little book filled with popcorn history and trivia and then some fun facts at the end.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></div><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0823405338/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=0823405338&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=carol0a7-20&amp;linkId=d61cc535891d2b4dd659dfefbd9ed74a" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&amp;MarketPlace=US&amp;ASIN=0823405338&amp;ServiceVersion=20070822&amp;ID=AsinImage&amp;WS=1&amp;Format=_SL250_&amp;tag=carol0a7-20" width="289" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=carol0a7-20&amp;l=am2&amp;o=1&amp;a=0823405338" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br /><br />It is your option to use the book. I really only use one page of it due to time constraints. I share that one page as the premise of this challenge.<br /><br />The book tells about an archeological team that finds preserved popcorn inside a cave. The students must find a way to make the perfect container to exactly fit the popcorn.<br /><br />The teams have a sample of the popcorn and must make a container that is the perfect size for a large number of popcorn pieces. I give them a cup with ten pieces in it and watch as they trace those pieces to find the size their containers will need to be.<br /><br /><b class="gr-progress">TIP</b>: One large bag of microwaveable popcorn is probably all you will need. I pop it and pour it out onto my countertop at school. I then just rake five pieces at a time into a bowl until I reach the number used for this challenge. That bowl is hidden from students.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Challenge-Volume-with-Popcorn-1121503?utm_source=mu%20blog&amp;utm_campaign=Popcorn%20Post%202119" target="_blank"><img alt="The famous Popcorn Challenge! In this STEM project, your elementary students must make a perfectly sized container for a specific amount of popcorn. When the containers are filled with the popcorn students have an eye-opening lesson about volume. Hands-on tasks are the perfect way to grasp this difficult concept. The resource includes a detailed Teacher's Guide, tons of hints, lab sheets with sample answers, photos, and more! #STEM #elementary #popcorn" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1011" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ahHE_bgW3-U/XD0nhm5Mn8I/AAAAAAAAv7U/L93AT8VbPAc0OKCuWsS3Ikejb7oIsIw8QCLcBGAs/s640/Slide7.JPG" title="The famous Popcorn Challenge! In this STEM project, your elementary students must make a perfectly sized container for a specific amount of popcorn. When the containers are filled with the popcorn students have an eye-opening lesson about volume. Hands-on tasks are the perfect way to grasp this difficult concept. The resource includes a detailed Teacher's Guide, tons of hints, lab sheets with sample answers, photos, and more! #STEM #elementary #popcorn" width="404" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><h4 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Containers are made in all sorts of sizes!</h4><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The Cylinder</h3>Almost always there will be a group that decides to make a cylinder-shaped container. The outside wall of these is fairly easy to make. It's the bottom and the top that create a problem!<br /><div><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Challenge-Volume-with-Popcorn-1121503?utm_source=mu%20blog&amp;utm_campaign=Popcorn%20Post%202119" target="_blank"><img alt="The famous Popcorn Challenge! In this STEM project, your elementary students must make a perfectly sized container for a specific amount of popcorn. When the containers are filled with the popcorn students have an eye-opening lesson about volume. Hands-on tasks are the perfect way to grasp this difficult concept. The resource includes a detailed Teacher's Guide, tons of hints, lab sheets with sample answers, photos, and more! #STEM #elementary #popcorn" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1011" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Jx_o4zrAovM/XDvhAA6P21I/AAAAAAAAv6U/VYr99NRTPfcKHHZw9nAcfwNXBDwYMf03wCLcBGAs/s640/Slide1.JPG" title="The famous Popcorn Challenge! In this STEM project, your elementary students must make a perfectly sized container for a specific amount of popcorn. When the containers are filled with the popcorn students have an eye-opening lesson about volume. Hands-on tasks are the perfect way to grasp this difficult concept. The resource includes a detailed Teacher's Guide, tons of hints, lab sheets with sample answers, photos, and more! #STEM #elementary #popcorn" width="404" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The second graders in the photo below also made cylinders. The narrow one in the top photo was a great size, but the larger cylinder in the bottom photo was way too large.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Challenge-Volume-with-Popcorn-1121503?utm_source=mu%20blog&amp;utm_campaign=Popcorn%20Post%202119" target="_blank"><img alt="The famous Popcorn Challenge! In this STEM project, your elementary students must make a perfectly sized container for a specific amount of popcorn. When the containers are filled with the popcorn students have an eye-opening lesson about volume. Hands-on tasks are the perfect way to grasp this difficult concept. The resource includes a detailed Teacher's Guide, tons of hints, lab sheets with sample answers, photos, and more! #STEM #elementary #popcorn" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1011" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RXALrfoXB60/XDvhAMQiJ2I/AAAAAAAAv6Q/Oy5RKkyRuKoJjgOOSQ7541_V6rC4aTL6QCLcBGAs/s640/Slide2.JPG" title="The famous Popcorn Challenge! In this STEM project, your elementary students must make a perfectly sized container for a specific amount of popcorn. When the containers are filled with the popcorn students have an eye-opening lesson about volume. Hands-on tasks are the perfect way to grasp this difficult concept. The resource includes a detailed Teacher's Guide, tons of hints, lab sheets with sample answers, photos, and more! #STEM #elementary #popcorn" width="404" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>TIP</b>: I use masking tape or staplers for this project. With second graders I gave them a tape dispenser. With third graders, I usually give each table a stapler and also watch them carefully to make sure they know how to use it. (You'd be surprised how many do not know!)</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Challenge-Volume-with-Popcorn-1121503?utm_source=mu%20blog&amp;utm_campaign=Popcorn%20Post%202119" target="_blank"><img alt="The famous Popcorn Challenge! In this STEM project, your elementary students must make a perfectly sized container for a specific amount of popcorn. When the containers are filled with the popcorn students have an eye-opening lesson about volume. Hands-on tasks are the perfect way to grasp this difficult concept. The resource includes a detailed Teacher's Guide, tons of hints, lab sheets with sample answers, photos, and more! #STEM #elementary #popcorn" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1011" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-c3lRokwZMz0/XDvhAOtfW9I/AAAAAAAAv6M/T73P5uP4dBQTi4ZWC4WnD42xq93WFckRgCLcBGAs/s640/Slide3.JPG" title="The famous Popcorn Challenge! In this STEM project, your elementary students must make a perfectly sized container for a specific amount of popcorn. When the containers are filled with the popcorn students have an eye-opening lesson about volume. Hands-on tasks are the perfect way to grasp this difficult concept. The resource includes a detailed Teacher's Guide, tons of hints, lab sheets with sample answers, photos, and more! #STEM #elementary #popcorn" width="404" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>TIP</b>: In all of the above photos - notice how they are tracing the cylinder to make the tops and bottoms! That is another thing I sometimes have to teach students how to do!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The Cube</h3><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">Then there is the cube. For the cube to be the correct size it has to be really small. Trust me, all the ones in the photos below are about three times larger than needed. Remember, the popcorn has to fit exactly.<br /><div><br /></div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Challenge-Volume-with-Popcorn-1121503?utm_source=mu%20blog&amp;utm_campaign=Popcorn%20Post%202119" target="_blank"><img alt="The famous Popcorn Challenge! In this STEM project, your elementary students must make a perfectly sized container for a specific amount of popcorn. When the containers are filled with the popcorn students have an eye-opening lesson about volume. Hands-on tasks are the perfect way to grasp this difficult concept. The resource includes a detailed Teacher's Guide, tons of hints, lab sheets with sample answers, photos, and more! #STEM #elementary #popcorn" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1011" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Rl-si04QhaA/XDvhApcApAI/AAAAAAAAv6Y/6rIATHhR3sIUaVHUk0qsMHIEiEK4c5P5wCLcBGAs/s640/Slide4.JPG" title="The famous Popcorn Challenge! In this STEM project, your elementary students must make a perfectly sized container for a specific amount of popcorn. When the containers are filled with the popcorn students have an eye-opening lesson about volume. Hands-on tasks are the perfect way to grasp this difficult concept. The resource includes a detailed Teacher's Guide, tons of hints, lab sheets with sample answers, photos, and more! #STEM #elementary #popcorn" width="404" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The Envelope</h3><div>This seems like the least likely shape to work, but it sometimes is the best one.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Challenge-Volume-with-Popcorn-1121503?utm_source=mu%20blog&amp;utm_campaign=Popcorn%20Post%202119" target="_blank"><img alt="The famous Popcorn Challenge! In this STEM project, your elementary students must make a perfectly sized container for a specific amount of popcorn. When the containers are filled with the popcorn students have an eye-opening lesson about volume. Hands-on tasks are the perfect way to grasp this difficult concept. The resource includes a detailed Teacher's Guide, tons of hints, lab sheets with sample answers, photos, and more! #STEM #elementary #popcorn" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1011" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qUasmnzoL0Y/XDvhAw9L3II/AAAAAAAAv6c/UMKoEI3kDQUi_evuJgJowPQ57psX3coRQCLcBGAs/s640/Slide5.JPG" title="The famous Popcorn Challenge! In this STEM project, your elementary students must make a perfectly sized container for a specific amount of popcorn. When the containers are filled with the popcorn students have an eye-opening lesson about volume. Hands-on tasks are the perfect way to grasp this difficult concept. The resource includes a detailed Teacher's Guide, tons of hints, lab sheets with sample answers, photos, and more! #STEM #elementary #popcorn" width="404" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">There are always teams that try the envelope container!&nbsp; I think they are considering this shape because it resembles a backpack which would be a natural carrying container for the popcorn out of the cave in the book we read. I also think kids are thinking about the popcorn container they get on Popcorn Fridays at our school. It is a flat bag, which might resemble an envelope.&nbsp; The trouble with this envelope shape is that it is usually too flat.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><h3>The Unusual Shapes</h3><div>After all the containers are finished I bring out the bowl of popcorn that I have counted for this challenge. Then we pour the popcorn into each container to see which ones are the exact size.</div><div><br /></div><div>Some teams will have containers that make this testing more difficult.</div><div><br /></div><div>The pink container in the photo below had a very narrow cylinder the led to a larger cylinder. To place the popcorn into the top I had to put one piece at a time. It took a long time to do this! In the end, this one was too small.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Challenge-Volume-with-Popcorn-1121503?utm_source=mu%20blog&amp;utm_campaign=Popcorn%20Post%202119" target="_blank"><img alt="The famous Popcorn Challenge! In this STEM project, your elementary students must make a perfectly sized container for a specific amount of popcorn. When the containers are filled with the popcorn students have an eye-opening lesson about volume. Hands-on tasks are the perfect way to grasp this difficult concept. The resource includes a detailed Teacher's Guide, tons of hints, lab sheets with sample answers, photos, and more! #STEM #elementary #popcorn" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1011" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZQg7lkhowJw/XDvhBJLoqqI/AAAAAAAAv6g/0lOkErrwJ58wVLUpFxOK22Jc6wF63KqhwCLcBGAs/s640/Slide6.JPG" title="The famous Popcorn Challenge! In this STEM project, your elementary students must make a perfectly sized container for a specific amount of popcorn. When the containers are filled with the popcorn students have an eye-opening lesson about volume. Hands-on tasks are the perfect way to grasp this difficult concept. The resource includes a detailed Teacher's Guide, tons of hints, lab sheets with sample answers, photos, and more! #STEM #elementary #popcorn" width="404" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>TIP</b>: Even if I know the container is too small or too large or has a difficult opening for placing the popcorn - we test them all. The kids are so excited to see their containers tested!</div><br />We end this fabulous challenge by talking about the word volume and what it&nbsp;<i>really&nbsp;</i>means. This lesson is a well-learned one! I use it with third graders and even when they make it to the fifth grade they still remember their popcorn containers.<br /><br /><h3>They definitely finish this task knowing that volume is dimensional and all directions - height, width, and depth- must be considered when measuring for volume.</h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Sellers-Im-Following/Add/Teachers-Are-Terrific" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="106" data-original-width="702" height="60" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ts1h16RyNSM/XDvgq-QhFxI/AAAAAAAAv6A/e2q4R0-3HFs71Yd-ey8_EJtevY1T1lp6QCLcBGAs/s400/airplane%2Btpt%2Bbutton.png" width="400" /></a></div><br />Carolhttps://plus.google.com/117070298526139327236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2632736933856843787.post-43561712071883088942019-01-31T05:00:00.000-06:002019-01-31T11:45:51.368-06:005 Books Destined to be Favorites!I love a good page-turning book. Oh, you know what I mean! It's those books we cannot put down, we stay awake til the wee hours of the morning, and finish it sadly because it was so good. We don't want it to end!<br /><br />The selections this month were page-turners for me. One I gave up on but came back to later. Two are very familiar authors and I am never disappointed in their work. Two are brand new authors that I loved!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.teachersareterrific.com/2018/10/december-books.html" target="_blank"><img alt="Book Reviews of five page-turners you will enjoy! Check this blog post!" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1130" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fQkBffLX26w/W7axktm_sTI/AAAAAAAAs3E/kwg4DXXlw9EDGt6obVn8YcBM_hLp0p2KQCLcBGAs/s640/January%2B2019.jpg" title="Book Reviews of five page-turners you will enjoy! Check this blog post!" width="450" /></a></div><br /><br /><a name='more'></a><span style="color: #302a2c; letter-spacing: 0.25pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>I</i></span></span><i><span style="color: #302a2c; font-family: &quot;inherit&quot; , serif; letter-spacing: 0.25pt;">n this post, for your convenience, you may find Amazon Affiliate links to resources. This means that with your purchase of items Amazon will pass on small percentages to me. This will not create extra costs for you at all! It will help me keep this blog running!</span></i><br /><br /><br /><h3><i> Don't Let Go</i> by Harlan Coben</h3><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1101984279/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=1101984279&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=carol0a7-20&amp;linkId=874a302be8b176dd07e1e1d48422800f" target="_blank"><img alt="This one opens with Daisy sauntering into a bar and enticing a gentleman to leave with her. As they pull away from the bar, a police officer follows them. It's a set-up and the goal is to arrest the man for DUI and this will affect his divorce and custody case. Unfortunately, the plan goes awry." border="0" height="320" src="https://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&amp;MarketPlace=US&amp;ASIN=1101984279&amp;ServiceVersion=20070822&amp;ID=AsinImage&amp;WS=1&amp;Format=_SL250_&amp;tag=carol0a7-20" title="This one opens with Daisy sauntering into a bar and enticing a gentleman to leave with her. As they pull away from the bar, a police officer follows them. It's a set-up and the goal is to arrest the man for DUI and this will affect his divorce and custody case. Unfortunately, the plan goes awry." width="180" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=carol0a7-20&amp;l=am2&amp;o=1&amp;a=1101984279" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />If you have ever read a Harlan Coben book, you know you are in for a wild ride! Fast-paced, constant thrills, and twists and turns!<br /><br />This one opens with Daisy sauntering into a bar and enticing a gentleman to leave with her. As they pull away from the bar, a police officer follows them. It's a set-up and the goal is to arrest the man for DUI and this will affect his divorce and custody case. Unfortunately, the plan&nbsp;goes awry.<br /><br />After&nbsp;the plan fails, the circumstances catch the attention of the town which includes Nap Dumas. Nap knew Daisy and the police officer, along with several others from their high school days. Also, Nap's twin brother, Leo, was part of the high school group. Now, several from that group have been killed.<br /><br />Nap uses his influence as a police detective to dive right into this new case and try to find out what happened with Daisy and the others.<br /><br />Here's the truth- I read a lot, but I am not necessarily a fast reader. This book- I read in one day. If you are interested in police crime dramas and thrillers this book will be perfect. It does have a lot of conversation, but it works! 5 stars!<br /><br /><h3><i>Where the River Ends</i> by Charles Martin</h3><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0767926994/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=0767926994&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=carol0a7-20&amp;linkId=72703c6eaf91fef6ed108c0484ab4223" target="_blank"><img alt="An improbable meeting between Abbie and Doss creates quite a love story She's a Senator's daughter/model and quite wealthy. He's a river/fishing guide living in a mobile home park. Yet they fall in love and marry despite the Senator's dislike of Doss and refusal to give them permission. Abbie brings out the very best in Doss as she encourages him to pursue his gift of art and painting. Their first years of marriage are amazing. Sounds too good to be true, right?" border="0" height="320" src="https://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&amp;MarketPlace=US&amp;ASIN=0767926994&amp;ServiceVersion=20070822&amp;ID=AsinImage&amp;WS=1&amp;Format=_SL250_&amp;tag=carol0a7-20" title="An improbable meeting between Abbie and Doss creates quite a love story She's a Senator's daughter/model and quite wealthy. He's a river/fishing guide living in a mobile home park. Yet they fall in love and marry despite the Senator's dislike of Doss and refusal to give them permission. Abbie brings out the very best in Doss as she encourages him to pursue his gift of art and painting. Their first years of marriage are amazing. Sounds too good to be true, right?" width="208" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=carol0a7-20&amp;l=am2&amp;o=1&amp;a=0767926994" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />An improbable meeting between Abbie and Doss creates quite a love story. She's a Senator's daughter/model and quite wealthy. He's a river/fishing guide living in a mobile home park. Yet they fall in love and marry despite the Senator's dislike of Doss and refusal to give them permission.<br /><br />Abbie brings out the very&nbsp;best in Doss as she encourages him to pursue his gift of art and painting. Their first years of marriage are amazing.<br /><br />Sounds&nbsp;too good to be true, right? Well, it actually is all true, except for the part&nbsp;where Abbie is diagnosed with breast cancer and the progressive&nbsp;state of her cancer invades her entire body. Somewhere in the middle of that Abbie creates her top ten list of things she wants to do before the end.<br /><br />This leads to a trip along the river Doss knows well, as the two of them steal away in the night to make the bucket list trip before it is too late.<br /><br />Lest you think this is purely&nbsp;chick-lit and not worth your time (let's face it the cover even states the novel will break your heart), I can tell you it turns out to be a page-turner with absolutely beautiful writing. I love the style of this author. He does not disappoint. Is it a sad story? Probably, but you know what is going to happen before you begin the book. I enjoyed the rich descriptive passages about the river trip and Abbie's illness.<br /><br />Try this one! I think you will be quite satisfied with the ending! 4.5 stars!<br /><br /><h3><i> The Nest</i> by Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney</h3><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0062414224/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=0062414224&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=carol0a7-20&amp;linkId=58c0c3e7c1552daf8e47e6da2bc561da" target="_blank"><img alt="The story concerns a monetary trust that is to be split between four siblings - Leo, Jack, Beatrice, and Melody. The money was placed in a trust to be dealt with when the youngest sibling reaches the age of 40. Although the original amount of money was not significant, the money was invested and has greatly expanded. And now all of these people need the money." border="0" height="320" src="https://ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&amp;MarketPlace=US&amp;ASIN=0062414224&amp;ServiceVersion=20070822&amp;ID=AsinImage&amp;WS=1&amp;Format=_SL250_&amp;tag=carol0a7-20" title="The story concerns a monetary trust that is to be split between four siblings - Leo, Jack, Beatrice, and Melody. The money was placed in a trust to be dealt with when the youngest sibling reaches the age of 40. Although the original amount of money was not significant, the money was invested and has greatly expanded. And now all of these people need the money." width="212" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=carol0a7-20&amp;l=am2&amp;o=1&amp;a=0062414224" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />I will be honest about this book. I tried to read it about a year ago. I just couldn't. The writing style is quite complicated with overly long sentences that meander and bring in minor details that are not part of the topic in a distracting way with a lot of characters, all of whom have fairly major life problems including drugs, lack of money, and complicated spouses and children.&nbsp; Did that long sentence of mine make you cringe? That is the style of this book!<br /><br />So, after trying about 20 pages I gave up and placed the book at the back of my next-read basket. Whenever I have worked my way to the book again I have moved it once more to the back. Recently I decided to try again.<br /><br />Turns out- I loved this book! Seriously.<br /><br />The story concerns a monetary trust that is to be split between four siblings - Leo, Jack, Beatrice, and Melody. The money was placed in a trust to be dealt with when the youngest sibling reaches the age of 40. Although the original amount of money was not significant, the money was invested and has greatly expanded. And now all of these people need the money.<br /><br />Melody, the youngest, is the one approaching the age of 40. She has twin teenage daughters and is married to Walter. Unfortunately, their money situation is dire as the two kids are getting near college age. Melody has become an expert on shopping and finding things the girls need in second-hand shops. She is counting on the Nest to overcome the problems!<br /><br />Beatrice, called Bea, is an author. In a much earlier time, she wrote stories about a character named Archie. The character was really the story of one of her brothers and the stories sold well. She is single as the book begins and living in an apartment left to her by her boyfriend who has died. Of all the siblings she needs the Nest money the least.<br /><br />Jack is married to Walker and desperately needs a windfall to get out of financial trouble. He has secret credit cards that he uses and needs to pay these off before Walker discovers it. Of course, he is after his Nest money!<br /><br />Then there is Leo. Leo is in pretty serious trouble as the book opens and his mother's solution to help with his finances causes quite an uproar with the other three children. Hint: It might have something to do with the Nest.<br /><br />I&nbsp;found this book to be mesmerizing- after I got accustomed to the long sentences and the writing style. I can't tell you anything more about it without revealing too much, but I give it 5 stars!<br /><br /><h3><i>One Perfect Lie</i> by Lisa Scottoline</h3><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1250099579/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=1250099579&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=carol0a7-20&amp;linkId=05628bc58e9ed13bee4598db16fcf847" target="_blank"><img alt="Chris Brennan arrives in a new town and interviews for a teaching position which will also include coaching. He seems to be a perfect candidate for the job, an absolute dream come true for the school. Over his first few days at his new position, he makes friends with colleagues and his high school students. On the surface, everything looks fine." border="0" height="320" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&amp;MarketPlace=US&amp;ASIN=1250099579&amp;ServiceVersion=20070822&amp;ID=AsinImage&amp;WS=1&amp;Format=_SL250_&amp;tag=carol0a7-20" title="Chris Brennan arrives in a new town and interviews for a teaching position which will also include coaching. He seems to be a perfect candidate for the job, an absolute dream come true for the school. Over his first few days at his new position, he makes friends with colleagues and his high school students. On the surface, everything looks fine." width="215" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=carol0a7-20&amp;l=am2&amp;o=1&amp;a=1250099579" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />Another page-turner! Chris Brennan arrives in a new town and interviews for a teaching position which will also include&nbsp;coaching. He seems to be a perfect candidate for the job, an absolute dream come true for the school. Over his first few days at his new position, he makes friends with colleagues and his high school students.<br /><br />On the surface, everything looks fine.<br /><br />But, is it? Chris seems to be planning something. He becomes particularly close with Ryan and plots to further the relationship. It seems he wants Ryan to confide in him. Chris is looking for someone that he can influence. What is he up to?<br /><br />Get ready! This one will take a complete twist you won't see coming. As the events involving the students, Chris, his interest in one of the moms, and a threat to a neighboring town all come together, you will wonder whose side Chris is really on.<br /><br />This one was very entertaining and well written. I did raise an eyebrow at a scene very near the end (I thought it highly improbable), but overall I give this one 4.5 stars! This author is almost always fabulous!<br /><br /><h3><i>The Last Mrs. Parrish</i> by Liv Constantine</h3><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0062667580/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=0062667580&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=carol0a7-20&amp;linkId=dc24c526fa1b4256269b7cf2e75a085c" target="_blank"><img alt="Amber, 26 years old, meets Daphne Parrish. Amber's story is that she grew up in a middle-class home, but has never been happy and she tells Daphne about her sister that died from cystic fibrosis. Daphne is a little older and married to an extremely wealthy man. And, Daphne also happens to have a sister that died from cystic fibrosis." border="0" height="320" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&amp;MarketPlace=US&amp;ASIN=0062667580&amp;ServiceVersion=20070822&amp;ID=AsinImage&amp;WS=1&amp;Format=_SL250_&amp;tag=carol0a7-20" title="Amber, 26 years old, meets Daphne Parrish. Amber's story is that she grew up in a middle-class home, but has never been happy and she tells Daphne about her sister that died from cystic fibrosis. Daphne is a little older and married to an extremely wealthy man. And, Daphne also happens to have a sister that died from cystic fibrosis." width="209" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=carol0a7-20&amp;l=am2&amp;o=1&amp;a=0062667580" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />Another great read! This one had an unexpected twist just about the time I was ready to move on. After that, I couldn't read it fast enough!<br /><br />Amber, 26 years old, meets Daphne Parrish. Amber's story is that she grew up in a middle-class home, but has never been happy and she tells Daphne about her sister that died from cystic fibrosis. Daphne is a little older and married to an extremely wealthy man. And, Daphne also happens to have a sister that died from cystic fibrosis.<br /><br />Amber becomes Daphne's friend and all seems to be going well between them as they work on Daphne's CF organization. However, the glimpses into Amber let you know quickly that she has decided she wants to be the next Mrs. Parrish.<br /><br />Amber lies often to Daphne and Jackson and soon becomes Jackson's assistant. She spends a lot of time in their homes and with their children. She plots constantly in her takeover of their lives and how she can get Jackson to divorce Daphne.<br /><br />And then the twist of this book arrives. Bam! I really had begun to wonder how on earth all of this could be resolved, but the authors (who are real-life sisters) began to tell quite a new part of the story.<br /><br />This turned out to be a page-turner that I read quickly! It will trick you in the beginning as being just another chick-lit book, but stick with it! You will love it! 4.5 stars<br /><br /><h3>A fabulous page-turning month! Which one will you read first?</h3><br /><br />Carolhttps://plus.google.com/117070298526139327236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2632736933856843787.post-76062648705688713962019-01-25T05:00:00.000-06:002019-01-25T08:30:45.238-06:00STEM Challenges with Lots of Heart!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Have you ever had a contest with your students to create a Valentine Card Box? You know, on Valentine's Day they bring in a decorated box for other students to stuff full of cards and candy. And you turn it into a contest to find the best one!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This is fun as the teacher, but I always hated it when I was the parent that had to oversee creating that box. I would send in cupcakes or drinks or paper plates for the party day&nbsp;but ask me to make a box. No, thank you!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Now that I have been a STEM teacher for a few years I know exactly what I would do for Valentine's Day in a regular classroom!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We'd start off with an Escape Room and end with a STEM Challenge- exchange a few cards and call it a day! Let me share a few ideas with you!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teachersareterrific.com/2019/01/stem-challenges-with-lots-of-heart.html" target="_blank"><img alt="Here's a round-up of Valentine Activities that will help a busy teacher during February. It includes an Escape Room, three STEM Challenges, and several sets of Math worksheets." border="0" data-original-height="530" data-original-width="1070" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oya0drCkstY/XCgDFU-QSKI/AAAAAAAAvhE/VPUhBIXaVyw35Lskl3UGRZbgq98iIT5SwCLcBGAs/s1600/vday%2Bslider%2Bjpg.jpg" title="Here's a round-up of Valentine Activities that will help a busy teacher during February. It includes an Escape Room, three STEM Challenges, and several sets of Math worksheets." /></a></div><br /><br /><br /><a name='more'></a>Hands-down, no kidding, the best activities we have done in the last few months have been engaging, fun, full of meaningful problem-solving, and complete teamwork. These are Escape Rooms, STEM friends, and we love them. The ones we have completed were followed with a STEM Challenge and the&nbsp;connections have been super amazing. So, let's take a closer look at Valentine's Day:<br /><br /><ul><li>Escape Room</li><li>STEM Challenges</li><li>Math Activities</li></ul><h3></h3><h3>Valentine Escape Room</h3>Have you attended an Escape Room&nbsp;event? The one I have been to was a place that actually locked us in a room. We had to read clues and put together items in the room to solve a puzzle that led to unlocking something- either a door or cabinet where we would find our next set of clues. We had a&nbsp;time limit for "breaking out".<br /><br />Visiting a place like this led me to develop our classroom Escape Rooms.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Valentine-Escape-Room-4286602?utm_source=blog%20&amp;utm_campaign=%20Valentine%27s%20Day%20Round-Up%20blog%20post" target="_blank"><img alt="This elementary Valentine Escape Room resource is the perfect way to keep students engaged and learning during the busy month of February. Students will solve math mazes, complete word search puzzles, match vocabulary words, and use a puzzle wheel to find the lock codes. This resource includes a STEM Challenge to build a Valentine Candy Box! Your students will have such fun and practice skills at the same time! #elementary #STEM #" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="836" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yClIEQ6Ulcw/XC_cXU8EjcI/AAAAAAAAvwY/TYY2lLJsB7Id6xM2st5KMrZi21Rw5kIlACLcBGAs/s640/val%2Bday%2B1.jpg" title="This elementary Valentine Escape Room resource is the perfect way to keep students engaged and learning during the busy month of February. Students will solve math mazes, complete word search puzzles, match vocabulary words, and use a puzzle wheel to find the lock codes. This resource includes a STEM Challenge to build a Valentine Candy Box! Your students will have such fun and practice skills at the same time! #elementary #STEM #" width="332" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The events in the classroom do not involve being locked in a room! Instead, students use clues to find a lock code which lets them open a locked box to get their&nbsp;next task.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">For the Valentine&nbsp;Escape Room, students begin with a matching activity. If they match the right Valentine words to their meanings they will spell a clue word. In this Escape Room, we used a Puzzle Wheel.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The Puzzle Wheel is just a series of strips that must be turned until cut out notches are aligned. A set of three numbers will line up when this is done and students use a written clue to determine which set of numbers is the lock code for the box.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Valentine-Escape-Room-4286602?utm_source=blog%20&amp;utm_campaign=%20Valentine%27s%20Day%20Round-Up%20blog%20post" target="_blank"><img alt="This elementary Valentine Escape Room resource is the perfect way to keep students engaged and learning during the busy month of February. Students will solve math mazes, complete word search puzzles, match vocabulary words, and use a puzzle wheel to find the lock codes. This resource includes a STEM Challenge to build a Valentine Candy Box! Your students will have such fun and practice skills at the same time! #elementary #STEM #" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="836" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qYlZukEGgOc/XC_cXdS8_fI/AAAAAAAAvwc/57pJbvhwHHYxQTo9RwoWhEMHXsPkQqx4wCLcBGAs/s640/Vday%2B2.jpg" title="This elementary Valentine Escape Room resource is the perfect way to keep students engaged and learning during the busy month of February. Students will solve math mazes, complete word search puzzles, match vocabulary words, and use a puzzle wheel to find the lock codes. This resource includes a STEM Challenge to build a Valentine Candy Box! Your students will have such fun and practice skills at the same time! #elementary #STEM #" width="332" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The second task is to complete a math maze and the third is a word search puzzle. When students solve those two tasks they also find a clue word that will lead them to the Puzzle Wheel and the lock code. <span style="background-color: white;">It&nbsp;</span>was super exciting to see them racing around to solve the Wheel and then open those boxes.</div><br />After unlocking the last box, <span style="background-color: white;">my&nbsp;</span>winning team found a small candy prize and grabbed the materials bin to start a STEM Challenge. This STEM Challenge is included in the resource. (It's a variation of the Candy Box Challenge described below.)<br /><br />If you have not tried an Escape Room yet, this would be a great place to start! The prep for this one is minimal- just make the puzzle wheels and copy the task sheets for students.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>TIP</b>: Plan ahead for an Escape Room. My resources have several pages of Teacher's Guides that will give you all the details and how to set everything up. It will take about 30 minutes to make copies, make the puzzle wheels, and set up the boxes for the Valentine Day Escape Room.</div><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></h3><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">STEM Challenge Valentine Zip Line</h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Valentines-Day-STEM-Challenge-Zip-Line-2340410?utm_source=blog%20&amp;utm_campaign=%20Valentine%27s%20Day%20Round-Up%20blog%20post" target="_blank"><img alt="Perfect for Valentine's Day. This STEM Challenge will have your elementary students making a gift carrier to deliver a gift via zip line. #elementary #STEM" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1011" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-50hw1cE1qoo/XCgDLT06S4I/AAAAAAAAvhI/nU3RBItaBkoj3ukzEcYtoQiF0kQGBiK1wCLcBGAs/s400/Slide1.JPG" title="Perfect for Valentine's Day. This STEM Challenge will have your elementary students making a gift carrier to deliver a gift via zip line. #elementary #STEM" width="252" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In this challenge, students must create a passenger car for a Valentine gift. I use a small stuffed heart as the gift item that is being delivered via a zip line.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Students must make the gift box and a way to attach the box to the zip line. They test their box on the line and improve if they need to. My third graders love this challenge!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Valentines-Day-STEM-Challenge-Zip-Line-2340410?utm_source=blog%20&amp;utm_campaign=%20Valentine%27s%20Day%20Round-Up%20blog%20post" target="_blank"><img alt="Perfect for Valentine's Day. This STEM Challenge will have your elementary students making a gift carrier to deliver a gift via zip line. #elementary #STEM" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1011" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vBPT3at5qNo/XCgDLXEE6bI/AAAAAAAAvhQ/vxcUoZpNZw4HGl8A-bYiikUVfxfUg1RdgCLcBGAs/s400/Slide2.JPG" title="Perfect for Valentine's Day. This STEM Challenge will have your elementary students making a gift carrier to deliver a gift via zip line. #elementary #STEM" width="252" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I purchased that sequined and stuffed heart at Dollar Tree a few years ago.&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>TIP</b>: I hope you shop at that little store for your STEM items! In fact, I have a blog post that is all about the items you should always purchase there. Here's the Link: <a href="http://www.teachersareterrific.com/2015/08/15-items-you-need-from-dollar-store-for.html" target="_blank">15 Items You Need from the Dollar Tree</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">STEM Challenge Bow and Arrow</h3><div>I know, I know. Who would have kids design a bow and arrow?</div><div><br /></div><div>Me!</div><div><br /></div><div>It's really a clever challenge. Students divide into two groups - the bow group and the arrow group - and create the two separate items. The trick is that the two items must work together.</div><div><br /></div><div>We have enjoyed the competitive part of this challenge. My kids love lining up on the launching line to try their bows and attempt to hit a target.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Valentines-Day-STEM-Challenge-Bow-and-Arrow-2312903?utm_source=blog%20&amp;utm_campaign=%20Valentine%27s%20Day%20Round-Up%20blog%20post" target="_blank"><img alt="Perfect for Valentine's Day. This STEM Challenge will have your elementary students making a bow and arrow to launch at a target. #elementary #STEM" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1011" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-glixo9M0F18/XCgDY9K_jRI/AAAAAAAAvhY/MCTjX2rpSf02CpC7XOAB-FT5odHTbXOHACLcBGAs/s400/fixed.jpg" title="Perfect for Valentine's Day. This STEM Challenge will have your elementary students making a bow and arrow to launch at a target. #elementary #STEM" width="252" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>TIP</b>: If you are still thinking this is a bad idea I will let you in on a little secret. The tip of the arrow is made from a cotton swab! My fifth graders love this challenge!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><h3>STEM Challenge Build a Candy Box</h3><div>In this challenge, students must build a heart-shaped box that will perfectly hold a certain amount of candy. They have candy samples to help estimate the perfect size for the boxes.</div><div><br /></div><div>This is quite challenging! My fourth graders love seeing it on the agenda. I love watching them create a heart-shaped box. They have so many ways of making those hearts.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Valentines-Day-STEM-Challenge-Candy-Box-2309553?utm_source=blog%20&amp;utm_campaign=%20Valentine%27s%20Day%20Round-Up%20blog%20post" target="_blank"><img alt="Perfect for Valentine's Day. This STEM Challenge will have your elementary students making a heart-shaped candy box to perfectly hold a specific amount of candy. #elementary #STEM" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1011" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HUJ6N7M8RcM/XCgDLSeJXQI/AAAAAAAAvhM/Xo1v81YoOuYj4GCHAYX-Quk9t9aP0TgDgCLcBGAs/s400/Slide3.JPG" title="Perfect for Valentine's Day. This STEM Challenge will have your elementary students making a heart-shaped candy box to perfectly hold a specific amount of candy. #elementary #STEM" width="252" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I also love the way they measure the sample pieces of candy to try to make their boxes the right size. Most of the boxes end up being too large because the kids forget about the depth of the box being a factor. It's a great lesson about volume!</div><br /><b>TIP</b>: Buy the candy for this challenge in a large bag. The samples they use will soften from being tested over and over and you might also have to replace them if a piece gets squashed. I also award the team with the best box with a bag of candy.<br /><br />(The Candy Box challenge can also be found in the Escape Room resource. If purchased separately there is a Bonus Challenge for creating a candy box at Christmas time.)<br /><h3></h3><h3>Math Activities</h3><div>You know, I taught third grade for a really long time and I loved teaching math. I really enjoyed hands-on math, but sometimes we just needed a worksheet. The extra practice was sometimes necessary.</div><div><br /></div><div>I love the versatility of a worksheet and all the ways it can be used and still provide meaningful work time. Homework, early finishers, math centers, seat work during small group time, or for use with a substitute are some of my favorite ways to use a worksheet.</div><div><br /></div><div>For Valentine's Day I have a set of worksheets for three grade levels.</div><div><br /></div><div>And, here's the best part- each set has some trivia or factual information about something to do with Valentine's Day. Kids love reading these extra little fun facts.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Valentine-Math-Print-and-Solve-Gr-3-3572113" target="_blank"><img alt="Math worksheets for Valentine's Day. This set designed for third grade features fun facts about candy on each page! #elementary #math #3rdgrade" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="873" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZvxT7Fa4fxs/XCgDgHn-r4I/AAAAAAAAvhs/hQHQuxP7FIITR5AV9PEVg6ux9V3i1dwbQCLcBGAs/s400/Valentine%2BMath%2B3.jpg" title="Math worksheets for Valentine's Day. This set designed for third grade features fun facts about candy on each page! #elementary #math #3rdgrade" width="217" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The third-grade set has fun facts about candy on each sheet!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Valentine-Math-Print-and-Solve-Gr-4-3576365" target="_blank"><img alt="Math worksheets for Valentine's Day. This set designed for fourth grade features fun facts about the human heart on each page! #elementary #math #4thgrade" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="873" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uNmr4YqBFGo/XCgDf5KzCiI/AAAAAAAAvhk/uoRP7if0hk4L-lTkTcQ1pwQ3c78hfDpQACLcBGAs/s400/Valentine%2B4.jpg" title="Math worksheets for Valentine's Day. This set designed for fourth grade features fun facts about the human heart on each page! #elementary #math #4thgrade" width="217" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The fourth-grade set has fun facts about the human heart.</div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Valentine-Math-Print-and-Solve-Gr-4-3576365" target="_blank"><img alt="Math worksheets for Valentine's Day. This set designed for fifth grade features fun facts about chocolate on each page! #elementary #math #5thgrade" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="873" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-skWA20xG_FU/XCgDgAO_EFI/AAAAAAAAvho/dEOPbR7XkZg4HUYqPidNVcWPOqVIGT0EwCLcBGAs/s400/valentine%2Bmath.jpg" title="Math worksheets for Valentine's Day. This set designed for fifth grade features fun facts about chocolate on each page! #elementary #math #5thgrade" width="217" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The fifth-grade set has fun facts about chocolate.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>TIP</b>: Choose the set you need and pick a few sheets that would apply to your students during February. Go ahead and make those copies and then grab them easily when an emergency arises- like a sub day or a day, when your lesson runs short.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I hope you have latched onto an idea or two (or three) that will get you through the busy month of February. Consider an Escape Room for your class party or a STEM Challenge in those days leading up to February 14th! Have fun!</h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Sellers-Im-Following/Add/Teachers-Are-Terrific" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="106" data-original-width="702" height="60" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RQVPJYci9Uc/XDANGy_NxMI/AAAAAAAAvxM/s6jUpcE3vbs8ZVHoTgzKs7hsYlGHMLPuQCLcBGAs/s400/airplane%2Btpt%2Bbutton.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br />Carolhttps://plus.google.com/117070298526139327236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2632736933856843787.post-15294755819439585212019-01-18T05:00:00.000-06:002019-01-18T05:00:01.003-06:00Ooey-Gooey Marshmallows for the Win!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Oh my, the first time we used marshmallows as a building material was such a learning experience! I have some&nbsp;tips for you sprinkled throughout this post that will help you breeze right through a STEM Challenge with marshmallows!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Our first building&nbsp;project was a Bridge!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.teachersareterrific.com/2019/01/ooey-gooey-marshmallows-for-win.html" target="_blank"><img alt="It's a STEM Challenge about Building a Bridge (with marshmallows) and it has been a kid-favorite for several years. Kids love the simple materials and the task of making this one work. The bridges are not very long but will test the patience and diligence of students as they work to finish this successfully. And, they will! Great cheering will happen when a bridge spans the gap and holds a little bit of weight! A few simple materials and they are off! The resource includes editable forms!" border="0" data-original-height="530" data-original-width="1070" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Vv0dPwgqelk/XDEN7wMfb-I/AAAAAAAAvxo/k_Mohi0lfSMx3gTgRaSHD01VcZIpvn4WwCLcBGAs/s1600/mm%2Bbridges%2Bslider%2Bjpg.jpg" title="It's a STEM Challenge about Building a Bridge (with marshmallows) and it has been a kid-favorite for several years. Kids love the simple materials and the task of making this one work. The bridges are not very long but will test the patience and diligence of students as they work to finish this successfully. And, they will! Great cheering will happen when a bridge spans the gap and holds a little bit of weight! A few simple materials and they are off! The resource includes editable forms!" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><a name='more'></a><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Since we had no idea what to expect with this challenge it was great fun for everyone. Seriously.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I think the STEM Lab is the most fun when I don't even know what is going to happen. Kids love it when something surprises me!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We have repeated this project several times over the years and I have it separated like this:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><ul><li>The Original</li><li>The Plastic Span</li><li>Blueprints</li></ul><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>TIP</b>: Repeat projects you enjoyed with your class. The second time is even more amazing than the first time since your students will have grown as engineers and you will have a different way of presenting the topic.</div><div><br /></div><h3>THE ORIGINAL</h3><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The first&nbsp;time we tried a bridge I wasn't sure what to use as the "span" section for the structure. I wanted an opening that would be 5-6 inches because I did not think these bridges could be very long.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Pushing two tables close together is the answer, but my tables are very heavy. I decided to try something lightweight and movable (at least more movable than my 9 foot long tables)!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Challenge-Bridges-with-Marshmallows-1150091?utm_source=blog%20&amp;utm_campaign=MM%20Bridge%20blog%20post%202019" target="_blank"><img alt="It's a STEM Challenge about Building a Bridge (with marshmallows) and it has been a kid-favorite for several years. Kids love the simple materials and the task of making this one work. The bridges are not very long but will test the patience and diligence of students as they work to finish this successfully. And, they will! Great cheering will happen when a bridge spans the gap and holds a little bit of weight! A few simple materials and they are off! The resource includes editable forms!" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="873" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FEDQBYPrPYg/WwHSWlo3LdI/AAAAAAAApNY/Jfb_kdULws8RdO_rVG7fGA1va4lxxwR3QCLcBGAs/s640/Slide1.JPG" title="It's a STEM Challenge about Building a Bridge (with marshmallows) and it has been a kid-favorite for several years. Kids love the simple materials and the task of making this one work. The bridges are not very long but will test the patience and diligence of students as they work to finish this successfully. And, they will! Great cheering will happen when a bridge spans the gap and holds a little bit of weight! A few simple materials and they are off! The resource includes editable forms!" width="348" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">You can see what we used in the photo above. Tissue boxes!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I had plenty of those! I set up two boxes on each lab table and taped them in place. Each team had their own spot to try&nbsp;their bridge.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Now to the dilemma of using marshmallows! If you buy the name brand kind of marshmallow you are likely to find that the marshmallows are very fresh. This is ideal for making hot chocolate, but not so good with bridges. They are just too soft.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>TIP</b>: Open your bag of marshmallows the day before you plan to use them. They will harden overnight and be just&nbsp;right for making something.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Challenge-Bridges-with-Marshmallows-1150091?utm_source=blog%20&amp;utm_campaign=MM%20Bridge%20blog%20post%202019" target="_blank"><img alt="It's a STEM Challenge about Building a Bridge (with marshmallows) and it has been a kid-favorite for several years. Kids love the simple materials and the task of making this one work. The bridges are not very long but will test the patience and diligence of students as they work to finish this successfully. And, they will! Great cheering will happen when a bridge spans the gap and holds a little bit of weight! A few simple materials and they are off! The resource includes editable forms!" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="873" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GuU9vBjrqvQ/WwHSWaeBtuI/AAAAAAAApNQ/W0nukFQ8xNgsSeFf5937hlcjBIz6CYsbwCLcBGAs/s640/Slide2.JPG" title="It's a STEM Challenge about Building a Bridge (with marshmallows) and it has been a kid-favorite for several years. Kids love the simple materials and the task of making this one work. The bridges are not very long but will test the patience and diligence of students as they work to finish this successfully. And, they will! Great cheering will happen when a bridge spans the gap and holds a little bit of weight! A few simple materials and they are off! The resource includes editable forms!" width="348" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">My original thinking about this bridge made with toothpicks was that the students could not make a support leg underneath the bridge. My thinking was that the students would have to work hard to make the&nbsp;bridge work and I wanted them to concentrate on creating the bridge- not spending time making legs.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This turned out to be futile! They wanted to make those support legs under the bridge to help hold it up! Of course, they did!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In the pictures above you can see two great&nbsp;bridges- one with a support column and one without.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>TIP</b>: If you try&nbsp;this bridge, be sure you allow an exploring time with the students. I found it very helpful to have each group try joining the marshmallows with toothpicks just as an experiment. After a few minutes of this, I had each group share a method they found that worked well. Check the photo of the bridge above. Can you see that the team doubled the number of toothpicks that joined each set of marshmallows? Clever!&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><h3>THE PLASTIC SPAN</h3><div>A year went by and we decided to try this bridge again. Instead of using tissue boxes I decided to try a plastic box.</div><div><br /></div><div>I have a large amount of these plastic shoeboxes and I thought it would be perfect. If we built the bridge going from one side to the other of the bin it would be a good length and the stiff sides would help hold the bridge in position.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Challenge-Bridges-with-Marshmallows-1150091?utm_source=blog%20&amp;utm_campaign=MM%20Bridge%20blog%20post%202019" target="_blank"><img alt="It's a STEM Challenge about Building a Bridge (with marshmallows) and it has been a kid-favorite for several years. Kids love the simple materials and the task of making this one work. The bridges are not very long but will test the patience and diligence of students as they work to finish this successfully. And, they will! Great cheering will happen when a bridge spans the gap and holds a little bit of weight! A few simple materials and they are off! The resource includes editable forms!" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="873" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jyjiHcCkjPw/WwHSWuZo18I/AAAAAAAApNU/vBD4wl7uxmMWLJ9ES9LcdxBq5KagmFU7QCLcBGAs/s640/Slide3.JPG" title="It's a STEM Challenge about Building a Bridge (with marshmallows) and it has been a kid-favorite for several years. Kids love the simple materials and the task of making this one work. The bridges are not very long but will test the patience and diligence of students as they work to finish this successfully. And, they will! Great cheering will happen when a bridge spans the gap and holds a little bit of weight! A few simple materials and they are off! The resource includes editable forms!" width="348" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This time I allowed students to make support columns for their bridges. Some built the legs and some did not. Above in the bottom photo, the team added their little columns when the bridge started to sag a little. Fabulous improvement!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>TIP</b>: Toothpicks can be very sharp! Caution students about this as they begin to work. I do use round toothpicks because they are more sturdy than flat ones.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">BLUEPRINTS</h3>The first class tried the plastic bins and just built their bridges. I decided to try something new with the next class.<br /><br />What if they had to create a blueprint of the bridge and then build it exactly like the blueprint?<br /><br />You have to try this in your STEM class! Just hand out some graph paper and watch.<br /><br /><b>TIP</b>: Using a blueprint introduces something unique to a STEM Challenge. Students can make small adjustments, but they cannot totally toss out their idea and start over. When students are not happy about this I tell them about home builders using a blueprint for a house. What if the builder completely changed something about the house I am having built? Would I like that? No! I want the house built exactly like the blueprint. (We don't use blueprints very often!)<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Challenge-Bridges-with-Marshmallows-1150091?utm_source=blog%20&amp;utm_campaign=MM%20Bridge%20blog%20post%202019" target="_blank"><img alt="It's a STEM Challenge about Building a Bridge (with marshmallows) and it has been a kid-favorite for several years. Kids love the simple materials and the task of making this one work. The bridges are not very long but will test the patience and diligence of students as they work to finish this successfully. And, they will! Great cheering will happen when a bridge spans the gap and holds a little bit of weight! A few simple materials and they are off! The resource includes editable forms!" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="873" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wJosiV2rLIo/WwHSW-HZvmI/AAAAAAAApNc/VTzHKxhEc7UfpPNTi6hLFCwp6RQCkZQHwCLcBGAs/s640/Slide4.JPG" title="It's a STEM Challenge about Building a Bridge (with marshmallows) and it has been a kid-favorite for several years. Kids love the simple materials and the task of making this one work. The bridges are not very long but will test the patience and diligence of students as they work to finish this successfully. And, they will! Great cheering will happen when a bridge spans the gap and holds a little bit of weight! A few simple materials and they are off! The resource includes editable forms!" width="348" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I had teams plan together for the design of the bridge and one student sketched the final plan. Then they set out to build it just like their sketch. Check the one above. That's pretty good, you have to admit.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Challenge-Bridges-with-Marshmallows-1150091?utm_source=blog%20&amp;utm_campaign=MM%20Bridge%20blog%20post%202019" target="_blank"><img alt="It's a STEM Challenge about Building a Bridge (with marshmallows) and it has been a kid-favorite for several years. Kids love the simple materials and the task of making this one work. The bridges are not very long but will test the patience and diligence of students as they work to finish this successfully. And, they will! Great cheering will happen when a bridge spans the gap and holds a little bit of weight! A few simple materials and they are off! The resource includes editable forms!" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="873" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HlrEI1pyWf0/WwHSXMjR__I/AAAAAAAApNg/G-7D3buUA0Iiv3cw71EWT5vLG_3v_sYPgCLcBGAs/s640/Slide5.JPG" title="It's a STEM Challenge about Building a Bridge (with marshmallows) and it has been a kid-favorite for several years. Kids love the simple materials and the task of making this one work. The bridges are not very long but will test the patience and diligence of students as they work to finish this successfully. And, they will! Great cheering will happen when a bridge spans the gap and holds a little bit of weight! A few simple materials and they are off! The resource includes editable forms!" width="348" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The team in the photo above had a very detailed lattice to create for their bridge roadway. Take a look at that blueprint! Amazing job!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">What fun! This is a STEM project that is quite challenging. My resource has all the details and includes the blueprint version, too!&nbsp;</h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Sellers-Im-Following/Add/Teachers-Are-Terrific" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="106" data-original-width="702" height="60" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-436lLIfTUKI/WwHSp6sh3YI/AAAAAAAApN4/0F105OhXF2UgOeqhc9xF_6030eAm60fIgCLcBGAs/s400/airplane%2Btpt%2Bbutton.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Challenge-Bridges-with-Marshmallows-1150091?utm_source=blog%20&amp;utm_campaign=MM%20Bridge%20blog%20post%202019" target="_blank"><img alt="It's a STEM Challenge about Building a Bridge (with marshmallows) and it has been a kid-favorite for several years. Kids love the simple materials and the task of making this one work. The bridges are not very long but will test the patience and diligence of students as they work to finish this successfully. And, they will! Great cheering will happen when a bridge spans the gap and holds a little bit of weight! A few simple materials and they are off! The resource includes editable forms!" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="873" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Kwawzs5Tq30/XDEMNjftpzI/AAAAAAAAvxc/4tuEmm91P4kJcMpbTL-e3G1mt2fssB2tACLcBGAs/s640/dec%2B2017%2BMM%2BBridges.jpg" title="It's a STEM Challenge about Building a Bridge (with marshmallows) and it has been a kid-favorite for several years. Kids love the simple materials and the task of making this one work. The bridges are not very long but will test the patience and diligence of students as they work to finish this successfully. And, they will! Great cheering will happen when a bridge spans the gap and holds a little bit of weight! A few simple materials and they are off! The resource includes editable forms!" width="348" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Challenge-Bridges-with-Marshmallows-1150091?utm_source=blog%20&amp;utm_campaign=MM%20Bridge%20blog%20post%202019" target="_blank"><img alt="It's a STEM Challenge about Building a Bridge (with marshmallows) and it has been a kid-favorite for several years. Kids love the simple materials and the task of making this one work. The bridges are not very long but will test the patience and diligence of students as they work to finish this successfully. And, they will! Great cheering will happen when a bridge spans the gap and holds a little bit of weight! A few simple materials and they are off! The resource includes editable forms!" border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="374" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-X9dK59zAbWU/XDEOwiYoVbI/AAAAAAAAvx0/FIYYFWrGLPA3SoscZzYt2Emj9EARMLWkQCLcBGAs/s640/main%2Bblog%2Bpost%2Bpin%2Bjpg.jpg" title="It's a STEM Challenge about Building a Bridge (with marshmallows) and it has been a kid-favorite for several years. Kids love the simple materials and the task of making this one work. The bridges are not very long but will test the patience and diligence of students as they work to finish this successfully. And, they will! Great cheering will happen when a bridge spans the gap and holds a little bit of weight! A few simple materials and they are off! The resource includes editable forms!" width="374" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br />Carolhttps://plus.google.com/117070298526139327236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2632736933856843787.post-7784705558029416332019-01-11T05:00:00.000-06:002019-01-11T07:58:32.157-06:00Amazing Airplanes for the Win!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">One spring day my principal announced we would be having a STEM lab the following year. I never even thought twice about this! I applied for the job and two months later I was cleaning out our lab and getting ready for school to begin.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">What an exciting adventure was ahead of me!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">But, I had zero resources. I was given a few idea books and I found blogs online that gave me some ideas for projects to use at the beginning of the year.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">One of those projects was about paper airplanes. I knew this was the perfect project because kids love throwing planes anyway. Why not take that enthusiasm and turn it into a science experiment and design project!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Challenge-Paper-Airplanes-888713?utm_source=my%20blog&amp;utm_campaign=Airplane%20Post" target="_blank"><img alt="It's a Paper Plane STEM Challenge. This multi-day activity will have your students experimenting and modifying planes to finally use their flight data to design the best airplane model. Includes detailed teacher directions!" border="0" data-original-height="530" data-original-width="1070" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2eKrK-I-1Ko/W_XdBBCT9vI/AAAAAAAAt-M/VSy6O1kNQ8AFEaZvcKw9T6VBjAYKhtYLQCLcBGAs/s1600/AP%2Bslider%2Bjpg.jpg" title="It's a Paper Plane STEM Challenge. This multi-day activity will have your students experimenting and modifying planes to finally use their flight data to design the best airplane model. Includes detailed teacher directions!" /></a></div><br /><br /><br /><a name='more'></a><h3>This project has many parts!</h3>I started planning for the paper airplane challenge and it quickly blossomed into a major experiment. It involves testing, data keeping, improving the design, and using the data for building a final plane.<br /><br />It also took some clever structuring of the testing and measuring to get an entire class through the challenge.<br /><br />This is a multi-day project for sure:<br /><ul><li>Exploring Day&nbsp;</li><li>Testing Day</li><li>Designing Day</li></ul><div>Look for some tips on management as you read through these steps!</div><div><br /></div><h3>EXPLORING DAY</h3>This was the most fun day ever! Imagine a group of fourth graders that are given a stack of paper and told to build and fly paper airplanes- with no rules!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Challenge-Paper-Airplanes-888713?utm_source=blog%20post%20&amp;utm_campaign=AP%20Blog%20post%20Jan" target="_blank"><img alt="It's a Paper Plane STEM Challenge. This multi-day activity will have your students experimenting and modifying planes to finally use their flight data to design the best airplane model. Includes detailed teacher directions!" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1011" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9ls_IGTiIDc/XDVKwzndDgI/AAAAAAAAv1s/4lq0WBIRjRcAxkgyRAJYkEckOOb3x0WwACLcBGAs/s640/Slide5.JPG" title="It's a Paper Plane STEM Challenge. This multi-day activity will have your students experimenting and modifying planes to finally use their flight data to design the best airplane model. Includes detailed teacher directions!" width="404" /></a></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">There were many styles of paper airplanes and there were some expert folders. I also had many students that did not know how to fold a plane at all. I have a directions sheet that is provided in this resource and I held tutoring sessions at one of our large work tables. Soon we had planes zipping all over the place!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>TIP</b>: Have your experts teach others how to fold planes or have a learning session with you showing how to do this. I had some students that resorted to just twisting a long skinny piece of paper and throwing it as their airplane model. I did not allow this! The folded plane had to resemble a streamlined airplane with wings and a pointed&nbsp;tip or we did not fly it.</div><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></h3><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></h3><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">TESTING DAY</h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We actually learn the testing procedure and start testing our models on Day 1 of this multi-day activity. The basic testing procedure is to fold one plane per team. Every team must fold the exact same kind of plane. The team throws the plane 3 times and then averages the flight distances.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Challenge-Paper-Airplanes-888713?utm_source=my%20blog&amp;utm_campaign=Airplane%20Post" target="_blank"><img alt="It's a Paper Plane STEM Challenge. This multi-day activity will have your students experimenting and modifying planes to finally use their flight data to design the best airplane model. Includes detailed teacher directions!" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1011" height="640" nopin="nopin" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VpHz6kJuK0g/W_XdKwmR8mI/AAAAAAAAt-c/s8cRmycUW3Um9pf9wnMOZr9Y_h0Mr1LnACLcBGAs/s640/Slide4.JPG" title="It's a Paper Plane STEM Challenge. This multi-day activity will have your students experimenting and modifying planes to finally use their flight data to design the best airplane model. Includes detailed teacher directions!" width="404" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So, wow, just think about the classroom management needed for this! Here are the basic procedures I use. Mind you, we talk about all of this at length before we begin!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><ol><li>Every team folds a new plane and they are all folded the same. (Control that&nbsp;variable)</li><li>Every team chooses one person to be the plane thrower. (Again, we are trying to control a variable. Even though the same person throws each time, it is likely that the throws will not be exactly alike.)</li><li>I stretch a long reel measuring tape along the longest length of our lab. It is taped to the floor in a few spots. It's a meter tape and we measure in meters/cm.</li><li>Each team's flyer lines up at the end of the tape reel. One student at a time throws a plane.</li><li>Each team also sends a spotter to the landing zone to help spot the landing point of each plane.</li><li>I call out the measurement of the plane - like this 7.8- which means 7 meters, 80 centimeters.&nbsp;</li><li>A third team member records this measurement.</li><li>This is repeated until each team has flown the plane 3 times. Then all team members go back to their work area and average the flights.</li><li>The team modifies the plane and we test it again. This is repeated one more time.</li></ol><div><br /></div><div><b>TIP</b>: Practice this procedure! I use one team as a demo team and then we all fly one time to practice the entire thing.</div><br /><br /><h3>DESIGN DAY</h3><div>The whole point of experimenting with the planes and modifications is to design an ultimate paper plane!</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Challenge-Paper-Airplanes-888713?utm_source=my%20blog&amp;utm_campaign=Airplane%20Post" target="_blank"><img alt="It's a Paper Plane STEM Challenge. This multi-day activity will have your students experimenting and modifying planes to finally use their flight data to design the best airplane model. Includes detailed teacher directions!" border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="404" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3NguoSeQZj0/XAadDGSUDgI/AAAAAAAAuNs/2Y1smQc0J7AyXXU_qUQlDWIKNax7lHp4wCLcBGAs/s640/AP1.JPG" title="It's a Paper Plane STEM Challenge. This multi-day activity will have your students experimenting and modifying planes to finally use their flight data to design the best airplane model. Includes detailed teacher directions!" width="403" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Students now use their data and the data of the entire class to build a brand new plane by choosing the best modifications. Will they use their data to make an informed decision? Will they try an untested modification? Will combining the modifications create new problems?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">What great learning opportunities this presents!</div><div><br /><b>TIP</b>: Kids will want to test different kinds of paper as one of the modifications. Above and below you can see the different kinds of paper we have tried. This includes foil, parchment, cardstock, construction paper, and lined notebook paper. Which do you think works best?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Challenge-Paper-Airplanes-888713?utm_source=my%20blog&amp;utm_campaign=Airplane%20Post" target="_blank"><img alt="It's a Paper Plane STEM Challenge. This multi-day activity will have your students experimenting and modifying planes to finally use their flight data to design the best airplane model. Includes detailed teacher directions!" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1011" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qDFFd6D0OSk/W_XdKYJub7I/AAAAAAAAt-Y/CIhL8Xv7_fEsIcgvEYkRNOK3Vthddm-5gCEwYBhgL/s640/Slide3.JPG" title="It's a Paper Plane STEM Challenge. This multi-day activity will have your students experimenting and modifying planes to finally use their flight data to design the best airplane model. Includes detailed teacher directions!" width="404" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This is one of the multi-day events that my classes look forward to! Airplane week brings a cheer when the kids see it on our agenda. They love to throw planes and this resource adds so much learning to such a simple activity!</h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Sellers-Im-Following/Add/Teachers-Are-Terrific" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="106" data-original-width="702" height="60" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Tqi7sm3bOOA/W_XdWfQhgsI/AAAAAAAAt-o/jDf78ts-9woVt90QxAfih52J-CgqXAg_wCLcBGAs/s400/airplane%2Btpt%2Bbutton.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Challenge-Paper-Airplanes-888713?utm_source=blog%20post%20&amp;utm_campaign=AP%20Blog%20post%20Jan" target="_blank"><img alt="It's a Paper Plane STEM Challenge. This multi-day activity will have your students experimenting and modifying planes to finally use their flight data to design the best airplane model. Includes detailed teacher directions!" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1011" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EwxgCtYbxec/XDVKyWPO4-I/AAAAAAAAv1w/Kjn8LEDBFLQr0-zoNa6Cb3CKmuds99bdwCEwYBhgL/s640/Slide2.JPG" title="It's a Paper Plane STEM Challenge. This multi-day activity will have your students experimenting and modifying planes to finally use their flight data to design the best airplane model. Includes detailed teacher directions!" width="404" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br />Carolhttps://plus.google.com/117070298526139327236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2632736933856843787.post-41712950464065566912019-01-04T05:00:00.000-06:002019-02-07T15:47:13.814-06:00How to Add Some Winter Time to Your Classroom<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Do your students love a snow day? Mine always do, but unfortunately, in the state of Alabama, we rarely see snow. When we do it's a major event and the schools can be closed for days!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In the meantime, kids are fascinated with snow - even if we don't see those flakes falling -&nbsp; so when I can, I bring that snow right into what we are studying or into our engineerings projects. It adds a&nbsp;little bit of fun and makes the learning a blast!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teachersareterrific.com/2018/12/how-to-add-some-winter-time-to-your.html" target="_blank"><img alt="An assortment of winter activities and resources for your upper elementary classrooms. This blog post will give you details about each resource to engage your kids during the winter months." border="0" data-original-height="530" data-original-width="1070" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OReZtVlSPdg/XCFagZhPF0I/AAAAAAAAvXQ/K14HnCX8GYgYqB8VlFifIeM6iufkcV0UACLcBGAs/s1600/jan%2Bslider%2Bjpg.jpg" title="An assortment of winter activities and resources for your upper elementary classrooms. This blog post will give you details about each resource to engage your kids during the winter months." /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><a name='more'></a><div style="text-align: left;"><i style="font-size: 18.72px; font-weight: 700;"><span style="background: white; color: #302a2c; font-family: &quot;century gothic&quot; , sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.25pt; line-height: 21.528px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">In this post, for your convenience, you may find Amazon Affiliate links, which means Amazon passes tiny amounts on to me- if you purchase something through that link - at no extra cost to you. This helps keep this little blog running!</span></span></i><br /><br />This Round-Up post will give you some amazing ideas for adding winter events to your classroom:<br /><br /><ul><li>STEM Projects</li><li>Math Activities</li><li>Escape Room</li><li>Snowflake Flipper Booklet</li><li>Winter Books</li></ul></div><br /><h3>Let's start with STEM!</h3><div>I have a fabulous trio of STEM Challenges that all bring snow into the classroom.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Winter-STEM-Challenges-Bundle-2295227" target="_blank"><img alt="Three STEM Challenges about snow! Keep your kids engaged during the winter months with interesting STEM Challenges that are also full of learning about snowflakes and winter weather. #winter #STEM #elementary" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1011" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VqD7HVxkcc4/XCFarcbA7EI/AAAAAAAAvXU/b-fTihtBrbkfgu0d8lz9qk1T5vU9_n-2wCLcBGAs/s400/Slide1.JPG" title="Three STEM Challenges about snow! Keep your kids engaged during the winter months with interesting STEM Challenges that are also full of learning about snowflakes and winter weather. #winter #STEM #elementary" width="252" /></a></div><h4 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Igloos</h4><div>I remember building a snow fort when I was a little girl, but my students rarely see enough snow to build one of these, much less an igloo.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Winter-STEM-Challenge-Igloo-Design-2294316" target="_blank"><img alt="A STEM Challenge about building an igloo model. Keep your students engaged with fabulous winter STEM Challenges! #winter #STEM #elementary" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1011" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0-BcwWeLMOQ/XCFars4yMBI/AAAAAAAAvXc/rAFrV3WBrHsPoxLEckcYgKMwDog1GH85wCLcBGAs/s400/Slide2.JPG" title="A STEM Challenge about building an igloo model. Keep your students engaged with fabulous winter STEM Challenges! #winter #STEM #elementary" width="252" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The igloo&nbsp;challenge has students learning about igloos and then building an igloo model. This seems like such a simple task, but it turned out to be challenging. Making the arched entryway to the igloo and the rounded dome was definitely a problem to solve.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We learned to make the arch or dome using lightweight card stock and then covering it with our snowballs. These turned out really well! We had some great discussions of the uses of an igloo. DId you know these are not typically used as homes for cold weather locations? They tend to be temporary dwellings- like for a fisherman.&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>TIP</b>: You need bottles of white glue! The ones that worked best for us allowed free-flowing glue. Bottles that clogged were very frustrating. You also have to be very patient while you wait on the glue to dry.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><h4 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Snowflakes</h4>Our next project was to create a snowflake model. We watched some videos about how snowflakes are formed and also looked at close-up photos of different types of snowflakes. We learned so much with this project!<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Winter-STEM-Challenge-Snowflake-Design-2291124" target="_blank"><img alt="A STEM Challenge about building a snowflake model. Keep your students engaged with fabulous winter STEM Challenges! #winter #STEM #elementary" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1011" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-z5i_zkvBOww/XCFariVF09I/AAAAAAAAvXY/EqYp52yonPsjCJopndEfpQ98971ZQ7XvACLcBGAs/s400/Slide3.JPG" title="A STEM Challenge about building a snowflake model. Keep your students engaged with fabulous winter STEM Challenges! #winter #STEM #elementary" width="252" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Students chose from an array of materials and they&nbsp;had to purchase the materials. Using a budgeted amount of money makes the students think more about the construction and less about taking some of every kind of material available.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>TIP</b>: Use a budget feature with STEM Challenges to provoke more thinking! I do this whenever we have a large array of materials. Students use a cost sheet and plan for the materials they need based on their design. It is so much fun to watch them dicker over buying 3 straws or 4 straws. I let mine use a calculator and revisit the materials- if they have money left over!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><h4 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Snowmen</h4><div>This was by far the most surprising challenge for me. Many of my students had never built a snowman and learning the basics made this interesting. Of course, it was also interesting because we used newspaper and toilet tissue for the project!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Winter-STEM-Challenge-Snowman-Design-2295203" target="_blank"><img alt="A STEM Challenge about building a snowman model. Keep your students engaged with fabulous winter STEM Challenges! #winter #STEM #elementary" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1011" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UeloAa2UN1E/XCFasEW54RI/AAAAAAAAvXg/x-591jPuzBYBKdW3h18Va9Vo_feNcP4dQCLcBGAs/s400/Slide4.JPG" title="A STEM Challenge about building a snowman model. Keep your students engaged with fabulous winter STEM Challenges! #winter #STEM #elementary" width="252" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Students had access to as much newspaper as they needed but I limited the amount of toilet tissue. Team after team had to start over when they ran out of the tissue. They really wanted very large snowmen and this did not work at all. The most fun was decorating the snowmen. My kids didn't just add carrot noses. They added goggles and scarves and made their snowmen into characters - like minions!&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We also had traditional snowmen like the&nbsp;one below!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Winter-STEM-Challenge-Snowman-Design-2295203" target="_blank"><img alt="A STEM Challenge about building a snowman model. Keep your students engaged with fabulous winter STEM Challenges! #winter #STEM #elementary" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1011" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zi_-r6xBLFQ/XCFasWvyE6I/AAAAAAAAvXk/V8VybFA5AQsoMZUMJuesKqtID83Jg1EFACLcBGAs/s400/Slide5.JPG" title="A STEM Challenge about building a snowman model. Keep your students engaged with fabulous winter STEM Challenges! #winter #STEM #elementary" width="252" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>TIP</b>: Keep wet cloths on hand when using newspaper. Hands get covered with the ink and then smear onto the tabletops or the projects. I keep a bin of wet cloths that students can grab when they need one. I also use real wash cloths not paper towels. Paper towels cost too much!</div><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Time for Some Winter Math</h3><div>The first math sheets I created for my STEM Lab came about when I needed a sub and just didn't have a STEM Challenge I wanted to leave with a person unfamiliar with engineering projects. So I invented a math sheet that would be challenging yet useful for the students. Since then I have added several different themed math sets to my collection.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Winter-Math-Print-and-Solve-Gr-5-3557729" target="_blank"><img alt="Keep elementary students engaged during the long winter months with winter themed math sheets. Perfect for early finishers of sub days! #Math #elementary " border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1011" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-05UcsapjNn0/XCFashToIsI/AAAAAAAAvXo/NoyODeEz_AIwd_VHHSzpsH7deIYXHTA4ACLcBGAs/s400/Slide6.JPG" title="Keep elementary students engaged during the long winter months with winter themed math sheets. Perfect for early finishers of sub days! #Math #elementary " width="252" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The set I have for upper elementary has winter science facts on every sheet. Those fun trivia facts are a great way to get kids engaged as they begin a math practice sheet.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Winter-Math-Print-and-Solve-Gr-3-4-3559997" target="_blank"><img alt="Keep elementary students engaged during the long winter months with winter themed math sheets. Perfect for early finishers of sub days! #Math #elementary " border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1011" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5O4JNpRqBOE/XCFas-ycBMI/AAAAAAAAvXs/DliZpAL8gQ8vz_iRrkbhACK7UcKFO3iygCLcBGAs/s400/Slide7.JPG" title="Keep elementary students engaged during the long winter months with winter themed math sheets. Perfect for early finishers of sub days! #Math #elementary " width="252" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The math set for lower grades 3-4 has facts about winter weather.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">What a great way to add some science and math to your classroom!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>TIP</b>: Keep some themed sets of worksheets available in your sub-folder or binder so your emergency substitute can make copies as needed. These are also great for homework or for students that finish activities early.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Winter Sports Escape Room</h3>Escape Room Adventures are such a big hit with my kids! They beg to do these every week, but I just cannot invent them that quickly.<br /><br />This one featuring winter sports was great for last winter when the Winter Olympics was being held. This Escape Room is about winter sports and can be used any time- not just during Olympic years.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Escape-Room-Quest-featuring-Winter-Sports-3626766" target="_blank"><img alt="Kids are loving Escape Rooms. Here's one all about winter sports and it includes a STEM Challenge! #escaperoom #wintersports #elementary" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1011" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jr9pVL3U_bA/XCFatGJNeFI/AAAAAAAAvXw/Dka5wufBiM8KlWjIBtncREOHEpmlvA56QCLcBGAs/s400/Slide8.JPG" title="Kids are loving Escape Rooms. Here's one all about winter sports and it includes a STEM Challenge! #escaperoom #wintersports #elementary" width="252" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Students solve map puzzles, math sheets, and match items to their meanings to unlock three boxes. Unlocking each box leads to the next task. Unlocking the last box leads to a STEM Challenge!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The STEM Challenge included with this Escape Room is to build a ski lift chair which you can add to a lift line stretched across your classroom. My kids LOVED this Escape Room and the challenge!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>TIP</b>: Don't worry about having to purchase boxes and locks. My Escape Rooms give you hints about what to use and include a "paper lock" system that requires only copying the page with the lock numbers for kids to mark with a pencil.&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Little Flipper Booklet</h3><div>Kids love making these mini booklets and the one I have for winter time is about snowflakes.</div><div><br /></div><div>These are great to use after reading aloud a book about snow or snowflakes. What if you are studying about the weather? This booklet is perfect! Also, what about those emergency sub days? Those days happen to all of us, but having an engaging task for kids to complete and learn from is a spectacular activity to leave with your sub for the day.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Snowflakes-Flipper-Book-3542482" target="_blank"><img alt="Complete a little flipper booklet all about snowflakes. Students research, sketch, draw, and write about a fascinating winter phenomenon! #snowflakes. #elementary" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1011" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6txl5ifosWI/XCFatUuuDmI/AAAAAAAAvX0/LPA4n__oPAwQ2igTy57LH97plj6YmPR0gCLcBGAs/s400/Slide9.JPG" title="Complete a little flipper booklet all about snowflakes. Students research, sketch, draw, and write about a fascinating winter phenomenon! #snowflakes. #elementary" width="252" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This flipper booklet has seven pages. Kids write about how snowflakes are formed, sketch different types of snowflakes, match vocabulary words and meanings, and complete research on their own. You have a choice of covers in full color or in black/white!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>TIP</b>: Use colored pencils to color parts of the booklet. Markers tend to bleed through paper and can be too messy for these mini booklets.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Winter Books</h3><div>Do you need ideas for perfect winter books to use with any of these winter resources?</div><div></div><div><br /></div><h4><i>Snowflake Bentley</i> by Jacqueline Briggs Martin</h4><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0547248296/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=0547248296&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=carol0a7-20&amp;linkId=24cf37089eb1d5c1daa0ab80ce41681b" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&amp;MarketPlace=US&amp;ASIN=0547248296&amp;ServiceVersion=20070822&amp;ID=AsinImage&amp;WS=1&amp;Format=_SL250_&amp;tag=carol0a7-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=carol0a7-20&amp;l=am2&amp;o=1&amp;a=0547248296" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />The Caldecott winning picture book will please your students that love non-fiction. You will love the images of snowflakes that can be used as you complete any activities about snow.<br /><br /><h4><i>Stone Fox</i> by John Reynolds Gardiner</h4><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0064401324/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=0064401324&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=carol0a7-20&amp;linkId=4d4497314292a28fba906244bdeb34c5" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&amp;MarketPlace=US&amp;ASIN=0064401324&amp;ServiceVersion=20070822&amp;ID=AsinImage&amp;WS=1&amp;Format=_SL250_&amp;tag=carol0a7-20" width="213" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=carol0a7-20&amp;l=am2&amp;o=1&amp;a=0064401324" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br /><div>This wonderful little book was a winter tradition in my third-grade classroom. It's the heart-breaking story of Little Willie who enters a dogsled race with his dog Searchlight. If he can win the race he will earn enough money to help save his grandpa's farm.<br /><br /><b>TIP</b>: Photocopy each chapter of this book. Give teams of&nbsp;students only one chapter. The team must read their chapter and be ready to act it out for the whole class. Each team will perform its chapter- in order- so that the entire class "reads" the book. It's a profound way to have students read, write a short play, and act out the parts.<br /><br /><h3>I hope you have grabbed some ideas from this post to get your students up and moving and totally engaged through the long winter months- whether it <span style="background-color: white;">snows&nbsp;</span>on you or not!</h3></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Sellers-Im-Following/Add/Teachers-Are-Terrific" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="106" data-original-width="702" height="60" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nBqQl95mXoM/XCVEpaskyXI/AAAAAAAAvgo/zQiJrjTiPiEP4Jn93VM8Erg6HMRLxvSiQCLcBGAs/s400/airplane%2Btpt%2Bbutton.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br />Carolhttps://plus.google.com/117070298526139327236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2632736933856843787.post-53621079172013632922018-12-28T05:00:00.000-06:002019-01-27T18:08:25.228-06:00Are You Ready for a Great Book? (The Best of 2018)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Are you constantly looking for the next great read? I always have several books lined up to read and can't wait to get started on some of them. Some of them I do not want to finish because I love them so much and sometimes I just throw a book down because I do not like it.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The ones I loved the most in 2018 are featured in this post. These books are the ones you definitely should read!&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3vV_uK_wEcY/XAAHRhhxP0I/AAAAAAAAuEM/LT6w4Gt_ViQvGFVw-4urXQW8q_yqFMR0QCLcBGAs/s1600/main%2Bpin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1130" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3vV_uK_wEcY/XAAHRhhxP0I/AAAAAAAAuEM/LT6w4Gt_ViQvGFVw-4urXQW8q_yqFMR0QCLcBGAs/s640/main%2Bpin.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><a name='more'></a><i style="font-size: 18.72px; font-weight: 700;"><span style="background: white; color: #302a2c; font-family: &quot;century gothic&quot; , sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.25pt; line-height: 21.528px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">In this post, for your convenience, you may find Amazon Affiliate links, which means Amazon passes tiny amounts on to me- if you purchase something through that link - at no extra cost to you. This helps keep this little blog running!</span></span></i><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">These wonderful books are listed in no particular order- except I saved the BEST for last!</div><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Little Fires Everywhere</i> by Celeste Ng</h3><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0735224293/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=0735224293&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=carol0a7-20&amp;linkId=882013fa44b104c9088ec4c6051e4540" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&amp;MarketPlace=US&amp;ASIN=0735224293&amp;ServiceVersion=20070822&amp;ID=AsinImage&amp;WS=1&amp;Format=_SL250_&amp;tag=carol0a7-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=carol0a7-20&amp;l=am2&amp;o=1&amp;a=0735224293" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br /><div><br /></div>Modern suburbia, planned communities, all families adhering to standards of behavior....or do they?<br /><br />In this&nbsp;book,&nbsp;you meet the Richardsons. There are four teenagers- two boys and two girls. Everything seems perfect. Then a young woman and her teenage daughter move into a rental owned by the Richardsons. Mia and the daughter, Pearl, furnish their apartment with castoffs and thrift store goods and seems as happy as can be. They move often and are just settling into this community when Pearl meets the Richardson kids. Her life is turned upside down as she begins to live at their home as much as her own.<br /><br />I would give this one 5 stars. I love this author and this book did not disappoint. (To be honest, as I started this book I was thinking, "Great, finally I found a book written by a real author." If you read a lot you will understand what I mean by this.)<br /><br />Grab this one!<br /><br /><h3><i>An American Marriage</i> by Tayari Jones</h3>&nbsp; <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1616208775/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=1616208775&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=carol0a7-20&amp;linkId=4a86bd6e99ecde813fb8ade87ccee8f1" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&amp;MarketPlace=US&amp;ASIN=1616208775&amp;ServiceVersion=20070822&amp;ID=AsinImage&amp;WS=1&amp;Format=_SL250_&amp;tag=carol0a7-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=carol0a7-20&amp;l=am2&amp;o=1&amp;a=1616208775" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />This is the story of Celestial and Roy. Living in Atlanta, living their dream. They appear to have the perfect marriage. Then&nbsp;they travel to Louisiana for a holiday&nbsp;visit with his parents.<br /><br />Not wanting to impose on Roy's parents the two&nbsp;book&nbsp;a room at a local motel. During the evening Roy leaves the room to get something and meets an elderly woman that needs help. He takes care of a couple of small problems for her and returns to his room.<br /><br />And then the motel room door is thrown open and the police are arresting Roy. Someone has broken into the elderly woman's room and she has identified Roy as the attacker. Celestial knows he is innocent because he was with her, but he is jailed and convicted anyway.<br /><br />Sentenced to twelve years. Can this marriage survive? What about Andre? What can happen to all these people and how will their relationships change?<br /><br />Read this one. It is beautifully written and definitely the story of a marriage- actually many marriages. Five stars!<br /><br /><h3><i>Long Way Gone</i> by Charles Martin</h3><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/071808473X/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=071808473X&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=carol0a7-20&amp;linkId=fc1b59e3a99f738b4a5458fde99cc2ab" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&amp;MarketPlace=US&amp;ASIN=071808473X&amp;ServiceVersion=20070822&amp;ID=AsinImage&amp;WS=1&amp;Format=_SL250_&amp;tag=carol0a7-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=carol0a7-20&amp;l=am2&amp;o=1&amp;a=071808473X" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br /><div><br /></div><div>What a beautiful story this is! Cooper leaves home to make music in Nashville - a typical musician story. But, prior to heading out from Colorado, he was working with his father singing in tent revivals. His dad taught him to play the guitar and nurtured his singing ability.<br /><br />As one does as a teenager, Cooper wanted to do more and lied to his dad about where he was one evening. Dad caught him, of course, and this led to Cooper leaving home in anger. Somehow, though, his dad knew this might happen and when Cooper was on the road he found a map, some money, and a note dad had written,<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><em style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">“No matter where you go, no matter whether you succeed or fail, stand or fall, no gone is too far gone. You can always come home.”</em></span></blockquote>Read this one! It is beautifully written. The descriptions of the effect music&nbsp;has&nbsp;on the characters is amazing. If you have a song that touches you in any way this book will resonate. It's a love story for sure. But it's more than romance. It's the love of a father and son and a family friend, it's about making music and the instruments the Lord has provided. Just a heads-up- this author uses Bible verses and references to scripture in his writing. Eventually, the book has after-life references as well. It is well done and quite believable. Five stars!<br /><br /><h3><i>Before We Were Yours</i> by Lisa Wingate</h3><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0425284689/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=0425284689&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=carol0a7-20&amp;linkId=ab33c4155c273e758e68ef5353d837f6" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&amp;MarketPlace=US&amp;ASIN=0425284689&amp;ServiceVersion=20070822&amp;ID=AsinImage&amp;WS=1&amp;Format=_SL250_&amp;tag=carol0a7-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=carol0a7-20&amp;l=am2&amp;o=1&amp;a=0425284689" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br /><br />It is 1939 on a riverboat in South Carolina. "River gypsies" is the name one of the children calls her family. Briny and Queenie and five children. Tragically, Queenie is struggling to give birth on the boat and the midwife discovers there are twins. Briny has to take her away to a doctor leaving the other five alone.<br /><br />The second day the children are alone a group arrives and takes the kids.<br /><br />They are taken to The Tennessee State Children's Home, an orphanage&nbsp;run by a couple of truly evil women. It turns out that children that arrive there are frequently adopted and sent away to new homes - even though their real parents are still alive. The treatment of the children in the home is unspeakable.<br /><br />I would give this one 5 stars.&nbsp;&nbsp;Definitely, read this one!<br /><br /><h3><i>The Handmaid's Tale</i> by Margaret Atwood</h3><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/038549081X/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=038549081X&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=carol0a7-20&amp;linkId=6d527174ccc4f8080d76c1c7d715c0f7" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&amp;MarketPlace=US&amp;ASIN=038549081X&amp;ServiceVersion=20070822&amp;ID=AsinImage&amp;WS=1&amp;Format=_SL250_&amp;tag=carol0a7-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=carol0a7-20&amp;l=am2&amp;o=1&amp;a=038549081X" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br /><br />This is a frightening look into a dystopian&nbsp;future in which women are controlled and kept captive to do their duty, whatever that might be.<br /><br />The story unfolds slowly as you meet Offred and hear how she lives. Wearing only red clothing and a bonnet that prevents her from seeing things around her Offred is one of the handmaids. There are other women, too, with similar descriptive names that play roles in the new world. There are servants, elderly women, and wives. There are also women that are sent away because they cannot bear children. Everything is strictly controlled.<br /><br />The book is mesmerizing and well written. The details will keep you reading, but I expect you will be angry one minute and perplexed the next. Five stars for this one. But it is still scary. And worth re-reading...and saving.<br /><br /><h3><i>The Mountain Between Us </i>by Charles Martin</h3><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0036S4CPW/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=B0036S4CPW&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=carol0a7-20&amp;linkId=530ec08748fb5411a2c83c0756ff43fa" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&amp;MarketPlace=US&amp;ASIN=B0036S4CPW&amp;ServiceVersion=20070822&amp;ID=AsinImage&amp;WS=1&amp;Format=_SL250_&amp;tag=carol0a7-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=carol0a7-20&amp;l=am2&amp;o=1&amp;a=B0036S4CPW" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br /><br />Dr. Ben is traveling by plane and so is Ashley. (They do not know each other but meet briefly.) The airport is closing quickly due to an oncoming storm and they are stranded. As they head out to spend a night in the airport Ben sees a chartered plane service and talks to the pilot, Grover. Grover is an older man and quite a character.<br /><br />Grover agrees to fly Ben out ahead of the storm and Ben heads back to see if Ashley wants to ride along. She does because her wedding is in two days.<br /><br />And off they go headed into a mountain wilderness trying to get to Denver. The plane goes down atop a mountain peak and they are stranded. Ashley is badly injured, Grover is dead, and Ben is left to get them out alive.<br /><br />I read this book in one day. I could not put it down. It is well written in the descriptions of all the things the two go through and you will laugh out loud at some of their jokes. I am not revealing any more of the story. Just go read it. And, by the way, it did not end the way I expected!<br /><br /><h3><i>The Great Alone </i>by Kristin Hannah</h3><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0312577230/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=0312577230&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=carol0a7-20&amp;linkId=c79fe42b8b29b032cdca0f0df63aae44" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&amp;MarketPlace=US&amp;ASIN=0312577230&amp;ServiceVersion=20070822&amp;ID=AsinImage&amp;WS=1&amp;Format=_SL250_&amp;tag=carol0a7-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=carol0a7-20&amp;l=am2&amp;o=1&amp;a=0312577230" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div>This is the story of a family living in the Pacific Northwest in the&nbsp;1970's. You have to keep reminding yourself of that because some of the events are a little incredulous in today's world.<br /><br />Cora and her husband, Erndt, are the parents of a young teenage girl, Leni. They move to Alaska one day when&nbsp;Erndt declares he wants a new beginning. He suffers from PTSD and is prone to violent outbursts, including hitting Cora. Cora and Leni have learned to tiptoe around and always play to his good side to keep the peace.<br /><br />Once they arrive in Alaska they survive only because of the kindness and generosity of the neighbors and townspeople that bring them supplies and teach them to prepare for the winter. In the middle of this, Leni meets Matthew at school and this turns her life upside down - as only a teenage romance can!<br /><br />Leni and Momma are quite a pair as they battle the harsh Alaskan country and&nbsp;Erndt's&nbsp;demanding and violent nature. This turns out to be a massive love story of a book, but it's about the relationship and love between Leni and Cora. I give it 5 stars as an audiobook because of the narrator. It's quite a believable book, but keep reminding yourself of the time period. In the&nbsp;70's&nbsp;women did not report domestic abuse and PTSD was not a mental illness that was recognized like it is today. Overall, a great book!<br /><br /><h3><i>The Sun Does Shine</i> by Anthony Ray Hinton</h3><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1250124719/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=1250124719&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=carol0a7-20&amp;linkId=e1c4cfe0035aff4ff4eb2d68d4db4a24" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&amp;MarketPlace=US&amp;ASIN=1250124719&amp;ServiceVersion=20070822&amp;ID=AsinImage&amp;WS=1&amp;Format=_SL250_&amp;tag=carol0a7-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=carol0a7-20&amp;l=am2&amp;o=1&amp;a=1250124719" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /></div><div><br /></div><div>Ray Hopkins, at age 29, is mowing his mom's lawn when police officers arrive to arrest him for robbery and murder. He is taken to jail and at trial faces "experts" that use ballistics tests on the bullets fired at the scene and claim they match a gun belonging to Ray's mother. His attorney's ballistics expert is questioned and found to be lacking in his knowledge of the ballistics equipment. His attorney will only continue if Ray pays him for his services despite being a court-appointed attorney.<br /><br />Ray is found guilty and sentenced to die in the electric chair in Alabama.<br /><br />Thirty years later he walks free. Thirty years on death row.<br /><br />This is a must-read book. Ray Hinton was innocent of the crime. He had incontrovertible&nbsp;proof of his whereabouts at the time of the murder. This innocent man spent 30 years on death row. 5 Stars!<br /><br /><h3><i>Everything Brave is Forgiven</i> by Chris Cleave</h3><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1501124382/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=1501124382&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=carol0a7-20&amp;linkId=32a66c688b133202b2922b047c3f25d1" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&amp;MarketPlace=US&amp;ASIN=1501124382&amp;ServiceVersion=20070822&amp;ID=AsinImage&amp;WS=1&amp;Format=_SL250_&amp;tag=carol0a7-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=carol0a7-20&amp;l=am2&amp;o=1&amp;a=1501124382" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br /><br />An amazing and beautifully written book! This one has been on my next-read list for a long time and I finally found a copy at my favorite bookstore (2nd &amp; Charles)<br /><br />The book opens in London in 1939 when a wealthy young lady, Mary, leaves her school and volunteers for the war effort. She is assigned to teach, even though she is very young and knows nothing about teaching. It turns out she is a natural that fiercely loves the students. It is through her teaching job that she meets Tom and Alistair.<br /><br />Mary becomes involved with Tom as Alistair volunteers for the duty in the Royal Army. He is deployed. And if these relationships are not complex enough there is also Mary's best friend, Hilda.<br /><br />Throughout the war, these four are written about in details that are rich in description and quite haunting in their sadness. It is war, after all. Mary's teaching job is gravely affected by the evacuation of the children to protect them from air raids. She befriends a young orphan named Zachary over her mother's objections that she not take care of him due to his race. Eventually, Mary and Hilda take on a new job of driving an ambulance in response to air raids and bombings. This leads to a poignant event between the two of them - that I will not divulge.<br /><br />The story of these four people caught in the unbelievable cruelty of this war and the atrocities they live through is well done. 5 stars for this one! I promise you will love this one and learn so much.<br /><br /><h3>And my favorite of the Year is...</h3></div><h3><i>Where the Crawdads Sing</i> by Delia Owens</h3><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0735219095/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=0735219095&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=carol0a7-20&amp;linkId=16dde5bd51291c5f77702e4357e5b23a" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&amp;MarketPlace=US&amp;ASIN=0735219095&amp;ServiceVersion=20070822&amp;ID=AsinImage&amp;WS=1&amp;Format=_SL250_&amp;tag=carol0a7-20" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=carol0a7-20&amp;l=am2&amp;o=1&amp;a=0735219095" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br /><br />Beautifully written with a mesmerizing, sad lilt to it, but definitely a page-turner.<br /><div><br />The Clark family live in a marshland home with no running water or electricity. There were five children, but when the book begins only two remain in the house.<br /><br />Then, Kya, at age 7, watches one morning as her mother dresses nicely (as nicely as she can as they are living in extreme poverty) and walks down the roadway to leave the family forever. She never looks back.<br /><br />Kya is left with her brother, Jodie, and her drunken and abusive father. She must quickly learn to take care of herself and Jodie because the dad is often absent. It doesn't take long for Jodie to also leave and Kya must fend for herself. This includes walking to the town to shop for food with the tiny bit of money dad allows her. She endures one day of school but the taunting and mistreatment from her classmates keep her from ever going back.<br /><br />Kya's next few years go by with her virtually alone in the marshland shack they live in. Her dad is frequently absent and eventually, he leaves and doesn't return. She earns money from selling mussels and fish to a local riverman and somehow survives.<br /><br />As a young girl, Kya met Tate and he continues to be her only friend- until he leaves for college. Then she encounters a town hero named Chase.<br /><br />This is all I will share about the book because I want you to read it! I loved this book- even though the sadness is unsettling at times. I highly recommend this one! 5 Stars!<br /><br /><h3 style="text-align: center;">You will not go wrong in choosing any of this collection!</h3><h3 style="text-align: center;">&nbsp;Have fun reading and Happy New Year!</h3></div>Carolhttps://plus.google.com/117070298526139327236noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2632736933856843787.post-61077462927501077762018-12-21T05:00:00.000-06:002018-12-21T05:00:00.376-06:00Rescue Me! A Challenge with Two Teams<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The very first STEM Challenge we tried in fifth grade was a real-life dilemma. My idea was that a student group was camping in a desert and needed to elevate their food while they slept. They could only build the elevation device using the materials in their camping gear.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It was fun and certainly a learning experience. And it led to more real-life challenges because we loved the scenario of solving a problem that we might face one day.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Our Rescue Device Challenge was another real-life event that we loved! This challenge also has a very interesting twist!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teachersareterrific.com/2018/10/rescue-device.html" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="530" data-original-width="1070" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1Gi0GHng5m8/W7Ve8DxaSCI/AAAAAAAAs2o/5Hhf3Ps4P5ssY4tD-esOJeipbvUG1Cn_ACLcBGAs/s1600/rescue%2Bslider%2Bjpg.jpg" /></a></div><br /><a name='more'></a><h3>A Unique Twist</h3><div>The idea of this challenge is one we have enjoyed so much. Each table gets a bin of materials- all the same items.&nbsp; The twist is that the first table builds half of the structure and the second table builds the other half. At some point, the two tables have to join the structures together.</div><div><br /></div><div>It's the ultimate in teamwork!</div><div><br /></div><div>In the Rescue Device Challenge, one half of the team builds a cranking mechanism&nbsp;and the other half of the team builds a passenger carrier.</div><div><br /></div><div>The story is that a hiking group must rescue&nbsp;a person that has fallen over a cliffside. They have to build the structures using only items found in nature or items in their&nbsp;backpacks.</div><br /><br /><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The Cranking Mechanism</h3><div>The cranking device has to be sturdy enough to wind up and lift the passenger carrier.</div><div><br /></div><div>To make this even more challenging the rules include that the winding part must have a handle.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Challenge-Rescue-Devices-1778193" target="_blank"><img alt="STEM Challenge: Students work in two teams to create a cranking device and a passenger carrier to perform a rescue. Each team builds part of the device and then the teams join together! The ultimate in teamwork!" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="873" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-E-DvM7MH9oY/WsgQ6B9QbkI/AAAAAAAAoMM/I_rULLcAzLY9ozYmw4lUaM10YCCSS-v2gCLcBGAs/s640/Slide1.JPG" title="STEM Challenge: Students work in two teams to create a cranking device and a passenger carrier to perform a rescue. Each team builds part of the device and then the teams join together! The ultimate in teamwork!" width="347" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The two in the above photos are made a lot alike and the kids used the bendy part of the straws very effectively.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Challenge-Rescue-Devices-1778193" target="_blank"><img alt="STEM Challenge: Students work in two teams to create a cranking device and a passenger carrier to perform a rescue. Each team builds part of the device and then the teams join together! The ultimate in teamwork!" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="873" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ggqZp9D5-w0/WsgQ6L-F3mI/AAAAAAAAoMU/zkJKBN2QaDQDgxvmE244b35uk1VVYURNACLcBGAs/s640/Slide2.JPG" title="STEM Challenge: Students work in two teams to create a cranking device and a passenger carrier to perform a rescue. Each team builds part of the device and then the teams join together! The ultimate in teamwork!" width="347" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Above are two more that have the winding parts oriented in a different direction. Take a close look at the top photo. That team threaded the straw winder through a craft stick frame to help hold everything in place.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Challenge-Rescue-Devices-1778193" target="_blank"><img alt="STEM Challenge: Students work in two teams to create a cranking device and a passenger carrier to perform a rescue. Each team builds part of the device and then the teams join together! The ultimate in teamwork!" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="873" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zeHkIhIRiMs/WsgQ6IthtUI/AAAAAAAAoMQ/yU1Yt9WSmX8x-XTOOdlk_3x_F2GgbOPEwCLcBGAs/s640/Slide3.JPG" title="STEM Challenge: Students work in two teams to create a cranking device and a passenger carrier to perform a rescue. Each team builds part of the device and then the teams join together! The ultimate in teamwork!" width="347" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Above- the top photo used a frame&nbsp;of straws to hold together the winding pole. Look closely at the bottom photo. This team made a loop of tape that had a straw threaded through it. They folded the piece of tape in half and made the loop so that none of the sticky part was touching the straw. So clever!</div><br /><h3>What about the passenger carrier?</h3><div>The other half of the team had to build something that would attach to the winding mechanism and hold fragile cargo. It could not be too heavy and it had to stay stable while being lifted.</div><div><br /></div><div>This is trickier than you would think!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Challenge-Rescue-Devices-1778193" target="_blank"><img alt="STEM Challenge: Students work in two teams to create a cranking device and a passenger carrier to perform a rescue. Each team builds part of the device and then the teams join together! The ultimate in teamwork!" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="873" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZdeE0C1Qo3s/WsgQ6opL3OI/AAAAAAAAoMY/VNVKLChJaoYCaAzHwRjMeVqL2G1boHkPgCLcBGAs/s640/Slide4.JPG" title="STEM Challenge: Students work in two teams to create a cranking device and a passenger carrier to perform a rescue. Each team builds part of the device and then the teams join together! The ultimate in teamwork!" width="347" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We had a lot of flat&nbsp;sled-like carriers and some that resembled hot air balloon baskets.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Challenge-Rescue-Devices-1778193" target="_blank"><img alt="STEM Challenge: Students work in two teams to create a cranking device and a passenger carrier to perform a rescue. Each team builds part of the device and then the teams join together! The ultimate in teamwork!" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="873" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-A7e8DAGHWac/WsgQ7OsD0GI/AAAAAAAAoMc/J3wjarONvHgTH5JOhnHVq5pVSHYCKsimgCLcBGAs/s640/Slide5.JPG" title="STEM Challenge: Students work in two teams to create a cranking device and a passenger carrier to perform a rescue. Each team builds part of the device and then the teams join together! The ultimate in teamwork!" width="347" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Kids also had to determine how to attach the carriers to the string.</div><br /><h3>How did they do?</h3><div>Aren't these spectacular?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Challenge-Rescue-Devices-1778193" target="_blank"><img alt="STEM Challenge: Students work in two teams to create a cranking device and a passenger carrier to perform a rescue. Each team builds part of the device and then the teams join together! The ultimate in teamwork!" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="873" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-14eBv5c1F04/WsgQ7mPLVbI/AAAAAAAAoMg/_11_WhRW6pMUI_EIlzGX957vGbzsT2meACLcBGAs/s640/Slide6.JPG" title="STEM Challenge: Students work in two teams to create a cranking device and a passenger carrier to perform a rescue. Each team builds part of the device and then the teams join together! The ultimate in teamwork!" width="347" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Challenge-Rescue-Devices-1778193" target="_blank"><img alt="STEM Challenge: Students work in two teams to create a cranking device and a passenger carrier to perform a rescue. Each team builds part of the device and then the teams join together! The ultimate in teamwork!" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="873" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pCAJerK5E6g/WsgQ8HN-fDI/AAAAAAAAoMk/t22ivCv2rJkQptr5--ahqYWknYI6b_PhACLcBGAs/s640/Slide7.JPG" title="STEM Challenge: Students work in two teams to create a cranking device and a passenger carrier to perform a rescue. Each team builds part of the device and then the teams join together! The ultimate in teamwork!" width="347" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This challenge is one of my favorites&nbsp;because it is a real-life event, but I LOVE pairing two teams together that have to join their structures. It is just amazing to watch the collaboration between the two teams as they tackle this fabulous challenge!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Challenge-Rescue-Devices-1778193" target="_blank"><img alt="STEM Challenge: Students work in two teams to create a cranking device and a passenger carrier to perform a rescue. Each team builds part of the device and then the teams join together! The ultimate in teamwork!" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="836" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8ah70zxVqPM/WsgQ0_QYaII/AAAAAAAAoMI/SSK8mxX-Y0UduLtkbMntxNc4LGZ_NPLmgCLcBGAs/s640/rescue%2BBLOG%2Bpin%2Bjpg.jpg" title="STEM Challenge: Students work in two teams to create a cranking device and a passenger carrier to perform a rescue. Each team builds part of the device and then the teams join together! The ultimate in teamwork!" width="334" /></a></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Sellers-Im-Following/Add/Teachers-Are-Terrific" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="106" data-original-width="702" height="60" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LRXJrmEYeTg/WvDKOkAhtsI/AAAAAAAAo84/a6Io23gH0F85XBKWsehJioaA-qQSRl4dACEwYBhgL/s400/airplane%2Btpt%2Bbutton.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br />Carolhttps://plus.google.com/117070298526139327236noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2632736933856843787.post-26295304830758268642018-12-14T05:00:00.001-06:002018-12-14T05:00:01.808-06:00An Unbelievable Adventure with Newton's CradlesIf you have ever had a Newton's Cradle in your classroom then you will totally understand the fascination with this STEM Challenge! Kids absolutely love to watch a Newton's Cradle clack endlessly together.<br /><br />I promise the first time we tried this challenge my fifth graders actually cheered when I announced what we were doing.<br /><br />It's the Famous Newton's Cradle Challenge!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teachersareterrific.com/2018/11/an-unbelievable-adventure-with-newtons.html" target="_blank"><img alt="This is the best STEM Challenge for your upper elementary students. Check this post full of tips about trying the resource- Build a Newton's Cradle!" border="0" data-original-height="530" data-original-width="1070" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_LPllXzPEGA/W-ohUfe0RFI/AAAAAAAAtxM/cRYOgC50Sv0NETHNCzte1vLp0dTotniEACLcBGAs/s1600/newton%2Bcradle%2Bslider%2Bjpg.jpg" title="This is the best STEM Challenge for your upper elementary students. Check this post full of tips about trying the resource- Build a Newton's Cradle!" /></a></div><br /><br /><br /><a name='more'></a><br /><h3>Newton's Cradle</h3><div>If you are unfamiliar with this device the photo below will help you!</div><div><br /></div><div>The device has five hanging balls that demonstrate Newton's third Law of Motion. "For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction."</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Challenge-Newtons-Cradle-featuring-Newtons-3rd-Law-2386955" target="_blank"><img alt="This is the best STEM Challenge for your upper elementary students. Check this post full of tips about trying the resource- Build a Newton's Cradle!" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1011" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KamSmBLfx6Q/W-ohdeaAxVI/AAAAAAAAtx4/0kwfv7lhUFMnsbjEx-zgPaq6nlbF1QUSwCEwYBhgL/s640/Slide1.JPG" title="This is the best STEM Challenge for your upper elementary students. Check this post full of tips about trying the resource- Build a Newton's Cradle!" width="404" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The fascination with this device is the way that it works. If you pull up one ball on one side and release it, then one will fly out on the other side. This will continue until the device slows and stops.</div><br />What happens if you pull up two balls and release them? Two fly out on the other side. This also works for three or four balls!<br /><br /><h3>Can we build one of these?</h3><div>Here is where the adventure begins! I thought it would be really neat to build a Newton's Cradle!</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RgHnjYotmdY/W-ohXFzDXtI/AAAAAAAAtxY/Qobk9ZMUJJ8PKJp_TA1fADR0yYmQqOABACEwYBhgL/s1600/Slide1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="1152" height="320" nopin="nopin" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RgHnjYotmdY/W-ohXFzDXtI/AAAAAAAAtxY/Qobk9ZMUJJ8PKJp_TA1fADR0yYmQqOABACEwYBhgL/s320/Slide1.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Step 1: Build the frame. </b>We used hot glue and low temperature glue guns. I only use this challenge with 5th graders and they follow strict safety rules.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>TIP:</b> Keep extra craft sticks close by to use to hold items in position instead of using fingers!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AKBjm6kvXUM/W-ohXLK4oyI/AAAAAAAAtxU/zfjP_J9CCs4SVo7XGCfJpZzyreFM5xtDQCEwYBhgL/s1600/Slide2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="1152" height="320" nopin="nopin" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AKBjm6kvXUM/W-ohXLK4oyI/AAAAAAAAtxU/zfjP_J9CCs4SVo7XGCfJpZzyreFM5xtDQCEwYBhgL/s320/Slide2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Step 2: Add the strings. </b>This turned out to be very tedious and full of problem-solving opportunities.&nbsp; The strings must be the same length and spaced apart perfectly. Above you can see one student holding the strings in place while the other applies glue.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gPFkISC07PU/W-ohXH4pXvI/AAAAAAAAtxQ/r74qRBDNEa8miaqAvHHFnJbwybyP7NfbACEwYBhgL/s1600/Slide3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="1152" height="320" nopin="nopin" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gPFkISC07PU/W-ohXH4pXvI/AAAAAAAAtxQ/r74qRBDNEa8miaqAvHHFnJbwybyP7NfbACEwYBhgL/s320/Slide3.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Tip: Test often!</b> After adding two strings with attached marbles, we tested to make sure those two would clack together well. If they were too far apart, the kids took it apart and re-did the gluing.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OZe-8fkfmvo/W-ohXqlePcI/AAAAAAAAtxc/fouxq3beusMNzCngAxpJnKRr2J9WpeEBQCEwYBhgL/s1600/Slide4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="1152" height="320" nopin="nopin" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OZe-8fkfmvo/W-ohXqlePcI/AAAAAAAAtxc/fouxq3beusMNzCngAxpJnKRr2J9WpeEBQCEwYBhgL/s320/Slide4.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The one above looks great! But... do you see the problem? The marbles are too far apart. They will not hit together the way they should. The correct position is with the marbles actually touching.</div><br />The three photos below show marbles that are hanging correctly.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_lLVC8RUsAg/W-ohX1afa-I/AAAAAAAAtxg/1sElH76q3_gIf2AmePRqhBqO2GfkRDVFACEwYBhgL/s1600/Slide5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="1152" height="320" nopin="nopin" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_lLVC8RUsAg/W-ohX1afa-I/AAAAAAAAtxg/1sElH76q3_gIf2AmePRqhBqO2GfkRDVFACEwYBhgL/s320/Slide5.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LZ_4qMYZldE/W-ohYX-8bEI/AAAAAAAAtxk/BQpWp5WOxzw0-2YFIMrwLxDSOYJfE4DHwCEwYBhgL/s1600/Slide6.JPG" imageanchor="1" nopin="nopin" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="1152" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LZ_4qMYZldE/W-ohYX-8bEI/AAAAAAAAtxk/BQpWp5WOxzw0-2YFIMrwLxDSOYJfE4DHwCEwYBhgL/s320/Slide6.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q-XWj04KL98/W-ohY9C1rbI/AAAAAAAAtxo/NWDuTu4QQosmw0AyHfYrICoDd_-GboiXgCEwYBhgL/s1600/Slide7.JPG" imageanchor="1" nopin="nopin" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="1152" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q-XWj04KL98/W-ohY9C1rbI/AAAAAAAAtxo/NWDuTu4QQosmw0AyHfYrICoDd_-GboiXgCEwYBhgL/s320/Slide7.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Another String Problem!</h3>We encountered several different things with the strings that would create a problem that had to be solved. Check the photo below! The device looks great. But, it did not work well at all. Can you see the problem?<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--76ImlBwRDE/W-ohZfeWUzI/AAAAAAAAtxs/0BTX0KZGv8k0mivQ5bd_gF1dydEM_xD5QCEwYBhgL/s1600/Slide8.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1152" data-original-width="1152" height="320" nopin="nopin" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--76ImlBwRDE/W-ohZfeWUzI/AAAAAAAAtxs/0BTX0KZGv8k0mivQ5bd_gF1dydEM_xD5QCEwYBhgL/s320/Slide8.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The strings are too short! When you pull back one marble to release it, the shortened string does not provide enough impact to make the other marbles react. The strings should almost reach the bottom of the device in order to work best.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">MORE TIPS!</h3><b>TIP: </b>I have a model that was purchased and I allow kids to see it as they work on their creations. They need to note that the strings are long enough to almost touch the tabletop and the metal balls touch one another when hanging.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Challenge-Newtons-Cradle-featuring-Newtons-3rd-Law-2386955" target="_blank"><img alt="This is the best STEM Challenge for your upper elementary students. Check this post full of tips about trying the resource- Build a Newton's Cradle!" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1011" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gOITVehUjjo/W-ohdSkMvhI/AAAAAAAAtxw/FRbnY4AIUAYT6IOQsvvAxgbSyCVSkFk1ACEwYBhgL/s640/Slide2.JPG" title="This is the best STEM Challenge for your upper elementary students. Check this post full of tips about trying the resource- Build a Newton's Cradle!" width="404" /></a></div><br /><b>TIP:</b> The frame needs to be squared. This simply means the lengths of the sides and the ends must be the same. If one side is longer or angled a little differently, then the marbles don't follow a path that produces the result you want.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Challenge-Newtons-Cradle-featuring-Newtons-3rd-Law-2386955" target="_blank"><img alt="This is the best STEM Challenge for your upper elementary students. Check this post full of tips about trying the resource- Build a Newton's Cradle!" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1011" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JsewHFSpVkE/W-ohddJDGyI/AAAAAAAAtx0/hrNz6yZp0A8-Oaww6HV5fr7JJWiIJHH2ACEwYBhgL/s640/Slide3.JPG" title="This is the best STEM Challenge for your upper elementary students. Check this post full of tips about trying the resource- Build a Newton's Cradle!" width="404" /></a></div><br /><b>TIP: </b>We used beads or straws glued or taped to our marbles as the way to attach the strings to the marbles. This works, but they do pop off easily.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Challenge-Newtons-Cradle-featuring-Newtons-3rd-Law-2386955" target="_blank"><img alt="This is the best STEM Challenge for your upper elementary students. Check this post full of tips about trying the resource- Build a Newton's Cradle!" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1011" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mREweN2RuKw/W-ohdjU7JjI/AAAAAAAAtx8/Vk8osx9gAdo29kddf7rtRXfvDmiVZtWUgCEwYBhgL/s640/Slide4.JPG" title="This is the best STEM Challenge for your upper elementary students. Check this post full of tips about trying the resource- Build a Newton's Cradle!" width="404" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>TIP:</b> Do you see the clever way this team threaded the string through the beads. They did this because the marbles will slide along the string and get out of alignment. This keeps them from clacking together consistently. We either added a drop of glue inside the bead or threaded the strings like the team above did to prevent this sliding.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>ONE LAST TIP:</b> This challenge is for 5th graders and above. I would also advise using this one with students that are accustomed to completing STEM Challenges. The resource will give you a lot more direction in the detailed teacher's guide along with many more tips!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It's a grand adventure!</h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Sellers-Im-Following/Add/Teachers-Are-Terrific" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="106" data-original-width="702" height="60" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qx2zlArzpkw/W-ohtyNHYsI/AAAAAAAAtyQ/WKvAl-IxuCsw6xWquTQJGgvHakbX1VqLQCLcBGAs/s400/airplane%2Btpt%2Bbutton.png" width="400" /></a></div><br />Carolhttps://plus.google.com/117070298526139327236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2632736933856843787.post-31816466348063006212018-12-07T05:00:00.000-06:002018-12-07T05:00:01.969-06:00How We Accidentally Created a Bucket Tower Challenge<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This is going to be hard to believe, but some of our best STEM Challenges have been created by accident.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Building boats was one such total spur-of-the-moment challenge. I literally came to school one morning and started going through cabinets to pull out materials I thought kids would want to use to build a boat. They loved this activity so much and it's still one of favorites.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Bucket Towers is another great example of an "accidental" challenge.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teachersareterrific.com/2018/11/how-we-accidentally-created-bucket.html" target="_blank"><img alt="This is a STEM Challenge all about a tower with a unique feature. We call these Bucket Towers and it's a favorite challenge for a reason. It involves some great problem solving and the design must also include a reason a tower would need a bucket! Check this post for more!" border="0" data-original-height="530" data-original-width="1070" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uuyrfFIUhhA/W-jaIJu1PGI/AAAAAAAAtuY/X2xxMm3h_-U2o7XTiapsxZP6q9N2DeSbwCLcBGAs/s1600/bucket%2Btows%2Bslider%2Bjpg.jpg" title="This is a STEM Challenge all about a tower with a unique feature. We call these Bucket Towers and it's a favorite challenge for a reason. It involves some great problem solving and the design must also include a reason a tower would need a bucket! Check this post for more!" /></a></div><br /><br /><br /><a name='more'></a><h3>How was this accidental?</h3>Great question! We have built a lot of different towers in the STEM Lab- spaghetti, index card, toothpicks, straws, foil, and more! In fact, the straw tower activity prompted me to start thinking about a new tower.<br /><br />I wanted a challenge that used straws because at the time I had about 5000 straws in a cabinet. (That's a great story all by itself and I did a blog post about it &gt;&gt;&gt; <a href="http://www.teachersareterrific.com/2016/07/must-have-materials-for-stem-class.html" target="_blank">click HERE</a>)<br /><br />Anyway, I knew we would use straws, but what is going to make this a different tower....hmmmm?<br /><br />What if something had to be suspended within the tower?<br /><br /><br /><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Bucket Towers are Born!</h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Seriously, that is all it took- just thinking about suspending something inside a tower. But, next I had to decide what that would be.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I started opening cabinets looking for the perfect object that we could hang in or on a tower.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Ping pong balls sounded great and I thought about the New Year's Eve ball drop form a tower in New York City. Creating a clock apparatus might work because plenty of towers have clocks on them. Then I thought about window washing platforms on skyscrapers. That would definitely be something suspended from a tower.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">BAM! What if the object was not a platform, but a bucket? And I had the perfect little buckets. Yes, I know the buckets are just 3 ounce cups, but they don't weigh very much and it's easy to punch holes in them.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Challenge-Bucket-Towers-2063926" target="_blank"><img alt="This is a STEM Challenge all about a tower with a unique feature. We call these Bucket Towers and it's a favorite challenge for a reason. It involves some great problem solving and the design must also include a reason a tower would need a bucket! Check this post for more!" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1011" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-40loO2-aB_E/W-jaL1Y4mKI/AAAAAAAAtuc/Q8KOxh5oMCwbXvcB-09bcvBPaKKgmMHKwCEwYBhgL/s640/Slide2.JPG" title="This is a STEM Challenge all about a tower with a unique feature. We call these Bucket Towers and it's a favorite challenge for a reason. It involves some great problem solving and the design must also include a reason a tower would need a bucket! Check this post for more!" width="404" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div>The basic premise of this challenge is to build the tower and create a logical reason the tower has a bucket in it!<br /><br />The tower in the photo above looks very simple and appears to work well. But, did it?<br /><br />Of course, I also added that the bucket needs to hold weight. Kids learned pretty quickly that a heavy bucket is going to change everything about how the towers work!<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Sometimes you need a lot of extra legs!</h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Towers did tend to sway or buckle under the weight of the bucket, so kids resorted to adding more and more support legs!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Challenge-Bucket-Towers-2063926" target="_blank"><img alt="This is a STEM Challenge all about a tower with a unique feature. We call these Bucket Towers and it's a favorite challenge for a reason. It involves some great problem solving and the design must also include a reason a tower would need a bucket! Check this post for more!" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1011" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YQXGkF_kHSo/W-jaL_oq1RI/AAAAAAAAtvE/zl3BNT-Vx2UYngrxP3gvuFBYL-VwyqjRACEwYBhgL/s640/Slide3.JPG" title="This is a STEM Challenge all about a tower with a unique feature. We call these Bucket Towers and it's a favorite challenge for a reason. It involves some great problem solving and the design must also include a reason a tower would need a bucket! Check this post for more!" width="404" /></a></div><br /><h3>What can you do with a piece of string?</h3><div>My students are really good at using a piece of string to anchor towers or structures to the table.</div><div><br /></div><div>Not only does the tower in the photo below use the string to hold the bucket aloft, the string is also attached to the table and supporting the tower.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Challenge-Bucket-Towers-2063926" target="_blank"><img alt="This is a STEM Challenge all about a tower with a unique feature. We call these Bucket Towers and it's a favorite challenge for a reason. It involves some great problem solving and the design must also include a reason a tower would need a bucket! Check this post for more!" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1011" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FNtF7jWiA20/W-jaMY0V0oI/AAAAAAAAtvI/2ZVUo5LvLuY7sXtgwW3GyB5v0wCUUrbEACEwYBhgL/s640/Slide4.JPG" title="This is a STEM Challenge all about a tower with a unique feature. We call these Bucket Towers and it's a favorite challenge for a reason. It involves some great problem solving and the design must also include a reason a tower would need a bucket! Check this post for more!" width="404" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The tower in the photo below is supported by multiple wide-set legs and somehow it remained standing. We called it the "Spider Tower"!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Challenge-Bucket-Towers-2063926" target="_blank"><img alt="This is a STEM Challenge all about a tower with a unique feature. We call these Bucket Towers and it's a favorite challenge for a reason. It involves some great problem solving and the design must also include a reason a tower would need a bucket! Check this post for more!" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1011" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pVtc0pIBFgs/W-jaMjbAuzI/AAAAAAAAtvM/PIG4AnVHYkEcL1MmKBBMr0Ipotr61mSlgCEwYBhgL/s640/Slide5.JPG" title="This is a STEM Challenge all about a tower with a unique feature. We call these Bucket Towers and it's a favorite challenge for a reason. It involves some great problem solving and the design must also include a reason a tower would need a bucket! Check this post for more!" width="404" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">&nbsp; Have you tried this one yet?&nbsp;</h3><div>It's one of our favorites and basically uses a small amount of easily gathered materials.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Sellers-Im-Following/Add/Teachers-Are-Terrific" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="106" data-original-width="702" height="60" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CnTihPg6G94/W-jamj-Oa_I/AAAAAAAAtvY/ZlhBHKzPkgMiKd_J6cx_IowLGTFsdjkxgCLcBGAs/s400/airplane%2Btpt%2Bbutton.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br />Carolhttps://plus.google.com/117070298526139327236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2632736933856843787.post-8938274056869353132018-11-30T05:00:00.000-06:002018-11-30T05:00:02.790-06:005 Page-Turners That Will Keep You Reading (and Reading)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Have you ever finished a book and dreaded choosing your next read? This happens especially when you have read a good one! Somehow the next choice just cannot measure up!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Here's how I solve that dilemma! I switch genres. If a thriller is amazing then my next-read is likely to be a memoir!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Whatever your method might be in choosing books I have some absolutely amazing selections to recommend this month!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Yg1T6TQOBxw/W4yFzBNXLNI/AAAAAAAAsJY/qPk92gpC4CERmWWfV3IR_0Z7r27RPjeQwCLcBGAs/s1600/nov%2B2018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1130" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Yg1T6TQOBxw/W4yFzBNXLNI/AAAAAAAAsJY/qPk92gpC4CERmWWfV3IR_0Z7r27RPjeQwCLcBGAs/s640/nov%2B2018.jpg" width="450" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><a name='more'></a><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="color: #302a2c; font-family: &quot;century gothic&quot; , sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.25pt;">I</span></i><i><span style="color: #302a2c; font-family: &quot;inherit&quot; , serif; letter-spacing: 0.25pt;">n this post, for your convenience, you may find Amazon Affiliate links to resources. This means that with your purchase of items Amazon will pass on small percentages to me. This will not create extra costs to you at all! It will help me keep this blog running!</span></i><span style="font-family: &quot;calibri&quot; , sans-serif; mso-bidi-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><br /><h3><i>Where the Crawdads Sing </i>by Delia Owens</h3><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0735219095/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=0735219095&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=carol0a7-20&amp;linkId=964ce617a0ad52d3be7db0fe81d8f2e8" target="_blank"><img alt="The Clark family live in a marshland home with no running water or electricity. There were five children, but when the book begins only two remain in the house. Then, Kya, at age 7, watches one morning as her mother dresses nicely (as nicely as she can as they are living in extreme poverty) and walks down the roadway to leave the family forever. She never looks back. " border="0" height="320" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&amp;MarketPlace=US&amp;ASIN=0735219095&amp;ServiceVersion=20070822&amp;ID=AsinImage&amp;WS=1&amp;Format=_SL250_&amp;tag=carol0a7-20" title="The Clark family live in a marshland home with no running water or electricity. There were five children, but when the book begins only two remain in the house. Then, Kya, at age 7, watches one morning as her mother dresses nicely (as nicely as she can as they are living in extreme poverty) and walks down the roadway to leave the family forever. She never looks back. " width="212" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=carol0a7-20&amp;l=am2&amp;o=1&amp;a=0735219095" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />This one is going to be one of my favorites of this year! Beautifully written with a mesmerizing, sad lilt to it, but definitely a page-turner.<br /><br />The Clark family live in a marshland home with no running water or electricity. There were five children, but when the book begins only two remain in the house.<br /><br />Then, Kya, at age 7, watches one morning as her mother dresses nicely (as nicely as she can as they are living in extreme poverty) and walks down the roadway to leave the family forever. She never looks back.<br /><br />Kya is left with her brother, Jodie, and her drunken and abusive father. She must quickly learn to take care of herself and Jodie because the dad is often absent. It doesn't take long for Jodie to also leave and Kya must fend for herself. This includes walking to the town to shop for food with the tiny bit of money dad allows her. She endures one day of school but the taunting and mistreatment from her classmates keep her from ever going back.<br /><br />Kya's next few years go by with her virtually alone in the marshland shack they live in. Her dad is frequently absent and eventually, he leaves and doesn't return. She earns money from selling mussels and fish to a local riverman and somehow survives.<br /><br />As a young girl, Kya met Tate and he continues to be her only friend- until he leaves for college. Then she encounters a town hero named Chase.<br /><br />This is all I will share about the book because I want you to read it! I loved this book- even though the sadness is unsettling at times. I highly recommend this one! 5 Stars!<br /><br /><br /><h3><i>Something in the Water</i> by Catherine Steadman</h3>&nbsp; <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1524797189/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=1524797189&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=carol0a7-20&amp;linkId=5a093731ca2efbcf0060a909118e2739" target="_blank"><img alt="Erin and Mark are newlyweds on their honeymoon in Bora-Bora. On a diving trip, they come across strange things in the ocean and then discover a life-changing find. They decide to cover their tracks and take off with their discovery." border="0" height="400" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&amp;MarketPlace=US&amp;ASIN=1524797189&amp;ServiceVersion=20070822&amp;ID=AsinImage&amp;WS=1&amp;Format=_SL250_&amp;tag=carol0a7-20" title="Erin and Mark are newlyweds on their honeymoon in Bora-Bora. On a diving trip, they come across strange things in the ocean and then discover a life-changing find. They decide to cover their tracks and take off with their discovery." width="264" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=carol0a7-20&amp;l=am2&amp;o=1&amp;a=1524797189" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />Erin and Mark are newlyweds on their honeymoon in Bora-Bora. On a diving trip, they come across strange things in the ocean and then discover a life-changing find. They decide to cover their tracks and take off with their discovery.<br /><br />Back in England, they soon find that there might be people following them. And the wild ride begins! Erin makes a lot of silly mistakes while attempting to continue to keep something that does not belong to them. For every lie that has to be told, the two rationalize it and justify their duplicity.<br /><br />Erin relies on a convicted man to help her solve some&nbsp;of her dilemmas. She is a documentary filmmaker and has been filming several convicts for her show. She is able to contact one of the convicts with questions about how to keep moving forward without getting caught.<br /><br />Sounds intriguing? Trust me- this was one crazy book! There were times that the improbable situations were just too much and I wanted to throw things at Erin for doing so many dumb things. But at the same time, it was totally mesmerizing!<br /><br />One tip: Listen to the audio version of this book! The narrator was spectacular! She did not just read the book - she acted it. 5 Stars for this one!<br /><br /><h3><i>Three Days Missing</i> by Kimberly Belle</h3><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0778307719/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=0778307719&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=carol0a7-20&amp;linkId=a6d847c08a99b1d8622cdfeb053f4766" target="_blank"><img alt="Ethan is the 8-year old that disappears on a school overnight camping trip. Kat, his mother, is alerted to this by officers that escort her to the camp. The clues are sparse and no one is talking. So, what happened to Ethan?" border="0" height="400" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&amp;MarketPlace=US&amp;ASIN=0778307719&amp;ServiceVersion=20070822&amp;ID=AsinImage&amp;WS=1&amp;Format=_SL250_&amp;tag=carol0a7-20" title="Ethan is the 8-year old that disappears on a school overnight camping trip. Kat, his mother, is alerted to this by officers that escort her to the camp. The clues are sparse and no one is talking. So, what happened to Ethan?" width="248" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=carol0a7-20&amp;l=am2&amp;o=1&amp;a=0778307719" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />Ethan is the 8-year old that disappears on a school overnight camping trip. Kat, his mother, is alerted to this by officers that escort her to the camp. The clues are sparse and no one is talking. So, what happened to Ethan?<br /><br />So begins this nightmare for Kat. She is helped in the search for Ethan by Mac, the officer, and a childhood friend named Lucas. Her ex-husband, Andrew, also arrives to hunt for his son.<br /><br />The few clues lead nowhere- except for the possibility that Ethan was taken away by car, but why? Who would&nbsp;take him? In talks with some of the adults, Kat discovers that&nbsp;Ethan did not sleep in his own sleeping bag, but had traded with another boy. That boy,&nbsp;Sammy, happens to be the mayor's son. Did the kidnapper take the wrong child?<br /><br />Chapters in the book alternate from the point of view of Kat and Stef, Sammy's mother. Details about the mayor's office and politics emerge along with secrets that point to why a child was taken.<br /><br />5 stars for this one! I read it very quickly and could not put it down! The alternating chapters kept me reading as the stories of these two mothers converged!<br /><br /><h3><i>My Oxford Year </i>by Julie Whelan</h3><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0062740644/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=0062740644&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=carol0a7-20&amp;linkId=8a9cbe3054a7e9f15f715cca086cd145" target="_blank"><img alt="Ella Durran, from Ohio, is spending a year at Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar. This has been her life goal for a really long time. She arrives and is getting acclimated when she meets a pompous jerk- who, of course, turns out to be one of her professors. She also is befriended by three other students as she learns her way around the town and school." border="0" height="400" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&amp;MarketPlace=US&amp;ASIN=0062740644&amp;ServiceVersion=20070822&amp;ID=AsinImage&amp;WS=1&amp;Format=_SL250_&amp;tag=carol0a7-20" title="Ella Durran, from Ohio, is spending a year at Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar. This has been her life goal for a really long time. She arrives and is getting acclimated when she meets a pompous jerk- who, of course, turns out to be one of her professors. She also is befriended by three other students as she learns her way around the town and school." width="258" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=carol0a7-20&amp;l=am2&amp;o=1&amp;a=0062740644" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />What a delightful surprise this book turned out to be! Ella Durran, from Ohio, is spending a year at Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar. This has been her life goal for a really long time.<br /><br />She arrives and is getting acclimated when she meets a pompous jerk- who, of course, turns out to be one of her professors. She also is befriended by three other students as she learns her way around the town and school.<br /><br />In the meantime, Ella also has a long distance job as a&nbsp;political director and she handles the work by phone. Although Ella's distaste for the professor was bordering on hatred, she quickly learns more about him and they start a romantic fling.<br /><br />Now, I know what you are thinking- this is a chick lit book! But, it really is not. It was quite different and had some surprises along the way. I loved the poetry included throughout and Ella is priceless. You will enjoy her a lot!<br /><br />I cannot tell you more about what happens with Ella and Jamie without giving away the story- just grab this one! 5 stars!<br /><i><br /></i> <i><br /></i><br /><h3><i>Everything Brave is Forgiven</i> by Chris Cleave</h3><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1501124382/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=1501124382&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=carol0a7-20&amp;linkId=b65eca4571338262b7ca1d873ca22068" target="_blank"><img alt="The book opens in London in 1939 when a wealthy young lady leaves her school and volunteers for the war effort. She is assigned to teach, even though she is very young and knows nothing about teaching. It turns out she is a natural that fiercely loves the students. It is through her teaching job that she meets Tom and Alistair." border="0" height="400" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&amp;MarketPlace=US&amp;ASIN=1501124382&amp;ServiceVersion=20070822&amp;ID=AsinImage&amp;WS=1&amp;Format=_SL250_&amp;tag=carol0a7-20" title="The book opens in London in 1939 when a wealthy young lady leaves her school and volunteers for the war effort. She is assigned to teach, even though she is very young and knows nothing about teaching. It turns out she is a natural that fiercely loves the students. It is through her teaching job that she meets Tom and Alistair." width="264" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=carol0a7-20&amp;l=am2&amp;o=1&amp;a=1501124382" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />An amazing and beautifully written book! This one has been on my next-read list for a long time and I finally found a copy at my favorite bookstore (2nd &amp; Charles)<br /><br />The book opens in London in 1939 when a wealthy young lady, Mary, leaves her school and volunteers for the war effort. She is assigned to teach, even though she is very young and knows nothing about teaching. It turns out she is a natural that fiercely loves the students. It is through her teaching job that she meets Tom and Alistair.<br /><br />Mary becomes involved with Tom as Alistair volunteers for the duty in the Royal Army. He is deployed. And if these relationships are not complex enough there is also Mary's best friend, Hilda.<br /><br />Throughout the war, these four are written about in details that are rich in description and quite haunting in their sadness. It is war, after all. Mary's teaching job is gravely affected by the evacuation of the children to protect them from air raids. She befriends a young orphan named Zachary over her mother's objections that she not take care of him due to his race. Eventually, Mary and Hilda take on a new job of driving an ambulance in response to air raids and bombings. This leads to a poignant event between the two of them - that I will not divulge.<br /><br />The story of these four people caught in the unbelievable cruelty of this war and the atrocities they live through is well done. 5 stars for this one! I promise you will love this one and learn so much.<br /><br /><h3>This was a fabulous collection of books to share with you! Which one will you try?</h3>Carolhttps://plus.google.com/117070298526139327236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2632736933856843787.post-9250407173937260772018-11-23T05:00:00.000-06:002018-11-23T05:00:01.254-06:006 Ways to Make December Full of Learning<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Is Christmas your favorite time of year? It certainly is mine and there are two really big reasons...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">First of all, I was born on Christmas Day!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And, secondly, my name is Carol.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Do you get it? Sometimes I have to explain that to my students, but then they think it is amazing and it is - Christmas&nbsp;Carol!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Know what else is amazing - Christmas in the classroom. And I have some truly spectacular STEM events to share with you to make this season&nbsp;magical in <i>your </i>classroom.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teachersareterrific.com/2018/11/6-ways-to-make-december-full-of-learning.html" target="_blank"><img alt="STEM projects for the busy holiday season. This blog post will share many different ways you can keep your elementary students engaged during the busy month of December. This include STEM challenges and an Escape Room." border="0" data-original-height="530" data-original-width="1070" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7XPC2T6V6fo/W-YqfcZjmuI/AAAAAAAAtoc/MKtFI8CCex0b8CHbJb6rB4c8tjOTsX1IwCLcBGAs/s1600/dec%2Broundup%2Bslider%2Bjpgs.jpg" title="STEM projects for the busy holiday season. This blog post will share many different ways you can keep your elementary students engaged during the busy month of December. This include STEM challenges and an Escape Room." /></a></div><br /><a name='more'></a><br /><h3>Here You Are: 6 Fabulous Ideas and Some Tips</h3><ul><li>Four STEM Challenges</li><li>An Escape Room</li><li>Two Math Ideas</li></ul><div>Okay, that's seven things to share- Read on!</div><div><br /></div><h3>STEM Challenges</h3><div>You know this is my favorite- STEM is the reason I moved from a regular classroom and became a specialist, so these projects are always just fascinating.</div><div><br /></div><div>I have three main challenges that we complete every year- in different grade levels. I do follow a yearly plan and try not to repeat challenges between grades.&nbsp;</div><br /><br />For Christmas, we have Sleighs and Ramps,&nbsp; Cookie Packages, and Brown&nbsp;Bag Trees.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Christmas-STEM-Challenges-Bundle-2888280" target="_blank"><img alt="STEM projects for the busy holiday season. This blog post will share many different ways you can keep your elementary students engaged during the busy month of December. This include STEM challenges and an Escape Room." border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1011" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mXXxzkjRisw/W-YqonXEMBI/AAAAAAAAtog/AISIK1OcBYQkI6GAiOSF2lDDnesKT2w1gCLcBGAs/s640/Slide1.JPG" title="STEM projects for the busy holiday season. This blog post will share many different ways you can keep your elementary students engaged during the busy month of December. This include STEM challenges and an Escape Room." width="403" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Sleighs and Ramps</h3>This one proved to be so much fun and the kids loved tackling those ramps.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Christmas-STEM-Challenge-Sleighs-and-Ramps-2888253" target="_blank"><img alt="STEM projects for the busy holiday season. This blog post will share many different ways you can keep your elementary students engaged during the busy month of December. This include STEM challenges and an Escape Room." border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1011" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-w0sGaDSFnlU/W-YqonmJvtI/AAAAAAAAtoo/z4rwR1gj2z4lbkF8vLVISqnJptjFrz4awCLcBGAs/s400/Slide2.JPG" title="STEM projects for the busy holiday season. This blog post will share many different ways you can keep your elementary students engaged during the busy month of December. This include STEM challenges and an Escape Room." width="252" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The story is that Santa's sleigh must ride down a ramp to deliver toys. The sleigh cannot tip over and dump out those toys. Kids were able to test their sleigh using three different ramps. The decorations for this sleigh event were amazing. Fifth graders knocked it out of the park. #lovedit</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>TIP: </b>We used foam board for our ramps. I purchase foam board sheets at Dollar Tree! The same size sheet at other stores is 3 times as much. Cut the sheet in half or thirds and it's a perfect ramp.</div><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Cookie Packages</h3>This is one my third graders absolutely were intrigued by. Well, the word 'cookie' probably had a lot to do with that!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Christmas-STEM-Challenge-Cookie-Packages-2885863" target="_blank"><img alt="STEM projects for the busy holiday season. This blog post will share many different ways you can keep your elementary students engaged during the busy month of December. This include STEM challenges and an Escape Room." border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1011" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Lzy-kd1rFYs/W_F9N8KMmKI/AAAAAAAAt7M/B3rmJWMm5tEIAw9P9NhPxhSu5QRnAk8FwCLcBGAs/s400/cookie%2Bpkg.jpg" title="STEM projects for the busy holiday season. This blog post will share many different ways you can keep your elementary students engaged during the busy month of December. This include STEM challenges and an Escape Room." width="252" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In this challenge, students must design a container for cookies. The container will go through the mail (pretend) and the postman will drop the package. The container must protect those cookies! And, then of course, we eat some cookies. #winwin</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>TIP:</b> The cookies I use for this challenge are butter cookies. I buy several bags of these at Dollar Tree (again, it's $1). These are the perfect cookie for this challenge because they do break easily, so the kids must be diligent in protecting their cookie boxes. They are also delicious!</div><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Brown Bag Trees</h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div>I love this one and the materials are just too easy. One of the big items is just a brown paper lunch sack.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Christmas-STEM-Challenge-Brown-Bag-Tree-2886226" target="_blank"><img alt="STEM projects for the busy holiday season. This blog post will share many different ways you can keep your elementary students engaged during the busy month of December. This include STEM challenges and an Escape Room." border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1011" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-htQIC3KDyUk/W-YqpVRNfjI/AAAAAAAAtow/qbjPZ8PblPAaY9GOhPrIxUF2KLu6o5NEACLcBGAs/s400/Slide5.JPG" title="STEM projects for the busy holiday season. This blog post will share many different ways you can keep your elementary students engaged during the busy month of December. This include STEM challenges and an Escape Room." width="252" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Fourth graders had to use the brown bag in some way to design their tree and then decorate it. I really thought they would all use the bag as the tree trunk, but kids never do what I expect! They made some of the cutest little&nbsp;trees! #easypeasy</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>TIP:</b> You will need craft items to use as decorations. I grab Christmas related items at the Dollar Tree. However, I have also found that students will create their own decorations using just construction paper.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Those three challenges are the ones we have been doing in December for a few years and the kids look forward to the one their grade level will be doing.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This year I added a new activity to the STEM Lab!</div><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Christmas Escape Room</h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Oh, how excited my big kids were when they saw this one on our agenda! I tried it with 4th and 5th graders and we loved every&nbsp;minute of it.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Christmas-Escape-Room-4201598" target="_blank"><img alt="STEM projects for the busy holiday season. This blog post will share many different ways you can keep your elementary students engaged during the busy month of December. This include STEM challenges and an Escape Room." border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="836" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XllJxx2Z5HM/W-4d32ExurI/AAAAAAAAt4I/4BZYi0RKAZEy5mNG0ceE87OqUAX88tzSwCLcBGAs/s640/xmax%2BER%2Bpins.jpg" title="STEM projects for the busy holiday season. This blog post will share many different ways you can keep your elementary students engaged during the busy month of December. This include STEM challenges and an Escape Room." width="332" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Students have three tasks to complete. Each task leads to a clue that leads to another clue and then they use a Letter Wheel to decipher a coded message. (You can see the Letter Wheel in the photo above.)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The tasks include solving math problems, completing a maze, and completing a word search puzzle. Our favorite part of this one was, hands-down, the Letter Wheel!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>TIP:</b> This Escape Room does involve some advance preparation. The Letter Wheels have to be made for each group- but it's just copying, laminating, and cutting out. The tasks for students are all just pages that need to be copied. Just plan ahead!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And there is more! This Escape Room also has an extension which is a STEM Challenge.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Toy Sleigh Zip Lines</h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Have you ever tried a zip line in your class? I promise, kids will have so much fun. Mine love watching their own devices zip down the line and the sharing of all the devices is a big deal. We gather around and let groups share their structure and attach it to the line, and then we cheer when it makes it to the bottom.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I have several versions of zip lines and this new one is a Toy Sleigh.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Christmas-STEM-Quick-Challenge-Build-a-Toy-Sleigh-Zip-Line-4201841" target="_blank"><img alt="STEM projects for the busy holiday season. This blog post will share many different ways you can keep your elementary students engaged during the busy month of December. This include STEM challenges and an Escape Room." border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1011" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MEHqxCD-KB0/W_F9N2aGIaI/AAAAAAAAt7Q/gFdknfmyV5gvFtH_jRdU6uwsktlAAOysACEwYBhgL/s400/Slide3.JPG" title="STEM projects for the busy holiday season. This blog post will share many different ways you can keep your elementary students engaged during the busy month of December. This include STEM challenges and an Escape Room." width="252" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The students have to make a sleigh to hold toys and it has to look like a real sleigh with runners. They also have to design a way to attach it to the zip line- which is trickier than you think. My third graders tackled this one, but I also had older students try it (which breaks my rule of not repeating challenges between grade levels, but.. it was fun)! The older students built more elaborate sleighs and were able to attach them to the zip line easily. I did have to help the 3rd graders more.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>TIP:</b> I have zip lines attached to the bolts that hold my white boards to the wall. We use these a few times each school year and I do not take the lines down. The lines are rolled up and taped to the wall. Also, you want lines made of a cord that will allow for smooth gliding. My lines are either fishing line or plastic cord. String does not work very well!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>By the way,</b> this Escape Room is not one I will try with third grade, but the challenge is great for that age. (The challenge is available separately from the Escape Room.)</div><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Christmas Math Resources</h3>Now, I know you hate to miss school days. I think teaching is the only profession for which being out sick is more work than being at your job. I can make your life a little easier with two levels of math resources made just for Christmas.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Christmas-Math-Worksheets-Print-and-Solve-Gr-4-4167731" target="_blank"><img alt="STEM projects for the busy holiday season. This blog post will share many different ways you can keep your elementary students engaged during the busy month of December. This include STEM challenges and an Escape Room." border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="873" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bR9sKC4Kl5U/W-Yqq-EAtNI/AAAAAAAAto8/Meix6mkd7PUx0yUNVx-6ba9fLG-1QYb_wCLcBGAs/s400/xmas%2Bgrade%2B4%2B2.jpg" title="STEM projects for the busy holiday season. This blog post will share many different ways you can keep your elementary students engaged during the busy month of December. This include STEM challenges and an Escape Room." width="217" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">These are perfect for days you might need to be absent and the only prep is to print the pages. Each resource has games that kids can play that require only a pencil and a set of number cubes. The games will work perfectly for your early finishers or in Math Centers.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Christmas-Math-Worksheets-Print-and-Solve-Gr-5-4145880" target="_blank"><img alt="STEM projects for the busy holiday season. This blog post will share many different ways you can keep your elementary students engaged during the busy month of December. This include STEM challenges and an Escape Room." border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="873" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Qdq6-rUMQuo/W-YqqpWxTHI/AAAAAAAAto4/QiEWld-KTbwK7E7pNuwFiM7Yjs4hl2y6QCLcBGAs/s400/Xmas%2Bmath%2Bgrade%2B5%2B1.jpg" title="STEM projects for the busy holiday season. This blog post will share many different ways you can keep your elementary students engaged during the busy month of December. This include STEM challenges and an Escape Room." width="217" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">There you are, my friends, some fabulous ways to let me help you get through this busy holiday month.&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Which STEM Challenge will you try?</h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Sellers-Im-Following/Add/Teachers-Are-Terrific" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="106" data-original-width="702" height="60" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/--IwFqYeGsEE/W-Yq2kQ3IeI/AAAAAAAAtpA/HMYXeE_ZT0sNp9zMg6idAk6WpweXBQtvgCLcBGAs/s400/airplane%2Btpt%2Bbutton.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br />Carolhttps://plus.google.com/117070298526139327236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2632736933856843787.post-56789994833469130052018-11-16T05:00:00.001-06:002018-11-17T19:22:46.572-06:00Why Roller Coasters is the Best STEM Challenge Ever<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Hands-down, not kidding, this is the ONE challenge that my students love, beg to do again, and cheer when they see it on our agenda.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It's Roller Coasters.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So, I am sure you want to know why it is the best challenge ever!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Challenge-Roller-Coasters-1175695" target="_blank"><img alt="Do you love roller coasters? Kids do! This STEM activity is a roller coaster event. Students have specific supplies and must design and construct a roller coaster model. You will love the very detailed teacher's guide with tons of embedded tips. It is truly exciting to watch them work and test their roller coasters. Students learn about momentum, centripetal force, and use a lot of trial and error! It's the best challenge ever! #STEM #elementary" border="0" data-original-height="530" data-original-width="1070" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XGvuEjs06pk/W-d8bex4NaI/AAAAAAAAtrA/4e5wqZfxiLYGKBM8p03yOVirLJstG1VlgCLcBGAs/s1600/RC%2Bslider%2Bjpg.jpg" title="Do you love roller coasters? Kids do! This STEM activity is a roller coaster event. Students have specific supplies and must design and construct a roller coaster model. You will love the very detailed teacher's guide with tons of embedded tips. It is truly exciting to watch them work and test their roller coasters. Students learn about momentum, centripetal force, and use a lot of trial and error! It's the best challenge ever! #STEM #elementary" /></a></div><br /><a name='more'></a><h3>Why is this challenge so popular?</h3><div>Let's see if I can explain this with just photos.&nbsp;The reasons it's the best are super simple:</div><div><ul><li>It's easy, easy, easy to set up!</li><li>The materials can be re-used for a long time.</li><li>The challenge involves experimenting</li><li>It includes learning about momentum, acceleration, potential and kinetic energy, centripetal force, and plenty of trial and error.</li><li>It's a learn-as-you-go challenge.</li><li>In the end, kids build lots of loops and try over and over to make them work. It's just plain fun!</li></ul><div>Sounds like a win-win- right?</div></div><br /><br /><h3>EASY SET UP&nbsp;FOR YOU</h3><div>This has to be a consideration when&nbsp;choosing a STEM Challenge. I can also highly recommend a challenge that involves pancakes! It's also a much-loved and much-requested challenge&nbsp;for my students. But, the prep is time-consuming and the clean up is really, well, a lot. Roller Coasters, I promise, is easy.</div><div><br /></div><div>The Roller Coaster involves three things and the prep is a one-time event.</div><div><br /></div><div>Let's start with the foam tubes.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Challenge-Roller-Coasters-1175695" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1011" height="640" nopin="nopin" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-T_5ROS_mu9M/W-d8drjKiRI/AAAAAAAAtrE/3JYRLOYK3oYw4WoACWKCCS7UGq6m0ddBACEwYBhgL/s640/Slide1.JPG" width="404" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The foam tubes we use are insulation tubes for copper pipes. I bought the 1-inch pipe style. The tube has a larger diameter, but it is designed to cover a one-inch copper pipe.&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I purchased mine at <i>Home Depot </i>and they are about 75 cents each. I know that sounds like a lot, but we have used this box of tubes for five years. (There is a little wear and tear on them, but not enough to matter.)&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I bought so many that I also took the box they came in and that is what I use to store them now.&nbsp;</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Challenge-Roller-Coasters-1175695" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1011" height="640" nopin="nopin" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aAuHxGv2z00/W-d8dt5CEyI/AAAAAAAAtrI/N8qFTiH5xGY51ROSHh7mknV-XeiBv8FJACEwYBhgL/s640/Slide2.JPG" width="403" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The type of tube I found already had one side cut open and the other side had a tiny groove in it. I used that groove as a guide to cut the tubes completely in half. Each team will need three pieces (halves).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">What else do you need?</h3><div>You will also need masking tape and a lot of it. This is when I pull out the 99 cent rolls of tape- which I find at Walmart.</div><div><br /></div><div>And, you will need the teacher's guide and lab sheets.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Challenge-Roller-Coasters-1175695" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1011" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MF7yR52_HzE/W-d8kVIrZwI/AAAAAAAAtrg/4pTcud7z6BI-Eb-DwOwRDGirEaT6V4ddQCEwYBhgL/s640/Slide3.JPG" width="404" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This resource is divided into three sections. On Day 1,&nbsp;students experiment with learning how the hills of roller coasters work. They try building small first hills and tall second hills to see what will happen. Take a look below!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Challenge-Roller-Coasters-1175695" target="_blank"><img alt="Do you love roller coasters? Kids do! This STEM activity is a roller coaster event. Students have specific supplies and must design and construct a roller coaster model. You will love the very detailed teacher's guide with tons of embedded tips. It is truly exciting to watch them work and test their roller coasters. Students learn about momentum, centripetal force, and use a lot of trial and error! It's the best challenge ever! #STEM #elementary" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1011" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Jj02x7kCKio/W-d8k5_nreI/AAAAAAAAtrk/LpJiej6peOMBRPKoeRyRRlw3IVOxqWOzACEwYBhgL/s640/Slide5.JPG" title="Do you love roller coasters? Kids do! This STEM activity is a roller coaster event. Students have specific supplies and must design and construct a roller coaster model. You will love the very detailed teacher's guide with tons of embedded tips. It is truly exciting to watch them work and test their roller coasters. Students learn about momentum, centripetal force, and use a lot of trial and error! It's the best challenge ever! #STEM #elementary" width="404" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We attach the end of the tube to a table and that point is the top of the first hill. This team has created a second hill taller than the starting point. Will the marble be able to climb that second hill?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Day 2 and Day 3 are also outlined in detail. Students will work through experimenting with hills and loops and finally move on to freely designing their roller coasters.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The resource is color-coded and includes a table of contents to walk you through each day of the event.&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Super easy, I know! You need tubes (that can be stored and used again forever), tape, and the lab sheets for kids. The resource also includes a lengthy page of extra information about roller coasters.</div><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: inherit; font-size: inherit;">Learning</span></h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The experimentation with the steepness of hills is such a great learning experience. Students really think that much higher second hill will work and are quite stunned when it does not. We learn the word momentum during this trial.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">During the second day of experiments we work with loops.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Challenge-Roller-Coasters-1175695" target="_blank"><img alt="Do you love roller coasters? Kids do! This STEM activity is a roller coaster event. Students have specific supplies and must design and construct a roller coaster model. You will love the very detailed teacher's guide with tons of embedded tips. It is truly exciting to watch them work and test their roller coasters. Students learn about momentum, centripetal force, and use a lot of trial and error! It's the best challenge ever! #STEM #elementary" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1011" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-V8LC09sFUwk/W-d8kWhAs_I/AAAAAAAAtrY/n-nDpzVZH2AFqZbrkFqj6CihEq7JXrRCwCEwYBhgL/s640/Slide4.JPG" title="Do you love roller coasters? Kids do! This STEM activity is a roller coaster event. Students have specific supplies and must design and construct a roller coaster model. You will love the very detailed teacher's guide with tons of embedded tips. It is truly exciting to watch them work and test their roller coasters. Students learn about momentum, centripetal force, and use a lot of trial and error! It's the best challenge ever! #STEM #elementary" width="403" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Creating loops is a little tricky. The loops cannot be too large or too small. They have to be aligned with the rest of the track and the marble has to have enough momentum going into the loop to travel through the whole thing.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Before we start working with loops we do talk about why they work. How does a roller coaster passenger car stay on the track when it travels upside down? Inevitably, students will say the car is attached, which it is, but what if it wasn't? What if the passengers were not in a harness? Would they still stay inside the car?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The answers to those questions are surprising! This phenomenon is called centripetal force and I included a tiny demonstration in the resource you can try with your students to help them understand what it means.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Basically, the marble (passenger) is going to stay within the loop if it has the speed it needs to travel through the whole loop.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It seems really simple, but of course, there is more to it than that. Our foam loops tend to move as the marble travels along and just the tiniest movement can cause the marble to jump off the track. Kids will constantly adjust and reroute those marbles. Hands-on learning and learning as you go! #fun</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It's the grandest time ever!</h3>This challenge is the best just for the fun factor. Kids love it when they finally have three tubes and can design freely. They try multiple loops. curves, and wacky systems that will somehow work.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Challenge-Roller-Coasters-1175695" target="_blank"><img alt="Do you love roller coasters? Kids do! This STEM activity is a roller coaster event. Students have specific supplies and must design and construct a roller coaster model. You will love the very detailed teacher's guide with tons of embedded tips. It is truly exciting to watch them work and test their roller coasters. Students learn about momentum, centripetal force, and use a lot of trial and error! It's the best challenge ever! #STEM #elementary" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1011" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uqWGXK5l6Ao/W-d8lEJHSmI/AAAAAAAAtro/n3pk6NBkTA0NqCG2iiRH02aBSBhKlOl8wCEwYBhgL/s640/Slide6.JPG" title="Do you love roller coasters? Kids do! This STEM activity is a roller coaster event. Students have specific supplies and must design and construct a roller coaster model. You will love the very detailed teacher's guide with tons of embedded tips. It is truly exciting to watch them work and test their roller coasters. Students learn about momentum, centripetal force, and use a lot of trial and error! It's the best challenge ever! #STEM #elementary" width="404" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In the photo above you can see what happens when two teams intersect their tracks. Even though my classroom is quite large we still have roller coasters that run into each other. Kids cleverly find a way to fix this!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Try this one! It's a spectacular event full of learning and fun and noise and groaning and cheering. It's the famous Roller Coaster Challenge!</h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Challenge-Roller-Coasters-1175695" target="_blank"><img alt="Do you love roller coasters? Kids do! This STEM activity is a roller coaster event. Students have specific supplies and must design and construct a roller coaster model. You will love the very detailed teacher's guide with tons of embedded tips. It is truly exciting to watch them work and test their roller coasters. Students learn about momentum, centripetal force, and use a lot of trial and error! It's the best challenge ever! #STEM #elementary" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1011" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KysYUjxMCJE/W-d8kYySCvI/AAAAAAAAtrc/ugpk1W_cMmQhZqAc-nnElJefi1tX4fB6ACEwYBhgL/s640/FIXED.jpg" title="Do you love roller coasters? Kids do! This STEM activity is a roller coaster event. Students have specific supplies and must design and construct a roller coaster model. You will love the very detailed teacher's guide with tons of embedded tips. It is truly exciting to watch them work and test their roller coasters. Students learn about momentum, centripetal force, and use a lot of trial and error! It's the best challenge ever! #STEM #elementary" width="404" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Sellers-Im-Following/Add/Teachers-Are-Terrific" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="106" data-original-width="702" height="60" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4ZQZDePVGm0/W-d834z9kKI/AAAAAAAAtsE/2HWXDlTiqOAIYnfJ8OiE5ULq-KKOzGqzwCLcBGAs/s400/airplane%2Btpt%2Bbutton.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br />Carolhttps://plus.google.com/117070298526139327236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2632736933856843787.post-87557008503240511382018-11-09T05:00:00.001-06:002018-11-09T07:51:06.487-06:00Conquering the Great Bottle Flip Challenge<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I will admit I am a little late to this game- the Bottle Flip Challenge, that is!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I considered inventing a challenge over a year ago, but just didn't have time and I also knew I would want my version to be a little different... but I couldn't decide how.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So, recently I had one of those Brain Pops I have sometimes and thought about this: What if we tested the bottles with water and then the students could use the gathered data and design their own challenge?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Sounds great, right? But, you know me! I thought of a really neat twist. What if we could fill the bottles with something&nbsp;other than water? Would it work?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Well, we tried it and I have some stories to tell you. Let's conquer this challenge! (And, there is a surprise at the end!)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teachersareterrific.com/2018/11/conquering-great-bottle-flip-challenge.html" target="_blank"><img alt="Can you flip a water bottle and land it? What if you fill the bottle with something other than water? This post will give you some great tips and a freebie!" border="0" data-original-height="530" data-original-width="1070" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-l6oeffaMUmM/W9xiQbxgQUI/AAAAAAAAtYY/ua1CkXC-xZ0ZxgVrbwrzaqVUeWcB5AbUgCLcBGAs/s1600/bottle%2Bflip%2Bslider%2Bjpg.jpg" title="Can you flip a water bottle and land it? What if you fill the bottle with something other than water? This post will give you some great tips and a freebie!" /></a></div><br /><br /><a name='more'></a><h3>Just Some Background...</h3><div>Just in case you don't know about the bottle flip challenge, it works very simply. You toss&nbsp;a water bottle and try to land it on its bottom. The trick is the&nbsp;amount of water inside the bottle and also what kind of plastic the bottle is made of.</div><div><br /></div><div>Now, let's be honest here! I knew there might be a lot of prep for this challenge. It turned out that I was right. But, as always, my experiences will help save you oodles of time! (and it is really is not a huge amount of prep!)</div><div><br /></div><div>Let's break this down to smaller steps:</div><div><ul><li>Materials Needed</li><li>Water Levels</li><li>Supplies for Groups</li><li>The Data Tables</li><li>Spillage</li><li>Results and Designing</li></ul><div><br /></div></div><h3>Materials Needed</h3><div>This is very basic and super simple. You just need empty water bottles. I had 16.9-ounce bottles already and just bought the smallest packages of three other sizes. I did plan this in advance so I drank the water (and Mt. Dew) and saved all those bottles!&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div><b>TIP</b>: Ask for donations. This is one of those items parents will send you. Just request specific sizes and you will likely get plenty of bottles.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>I used four sizes and needed eight bottles in each size.</div><div><br /></div><div>Other Materials: For the experimentation part of this challenge you need water and bottles. You will also need towels, containers to use for pouring the water, calculators, and filler items for the design challenge. We used beans, beads, sand, marbles, pushpins, candy corn, rice, and un-popped popcorn.</div><div><br /></div><h3>Water Levels</h3>My first inclination was to just have the kids measure the bottles with rulers and mark the levels. But my bottles were all different&nbsp;heights and had different diameters.&nbsp; I knew this would not be mathematically correct!<br /><br />So, I used the amount of water - in ounces - as a guide to mark the water levels.<br /><br />The photo below will show you what I did!<br /><br />Using the ten-ounce bottle I poured in 2.5 ounces of water and marked the water level. Then I added 2.5 more ounces and marked the bottle. This gave me measures of one-fourth and one-half. I repeated this two more times and had three-fourths and a full bottle.<br /><br />For the remaining 10-ounce bottles I just laid the marked bottle beside an unmarked one, lined them up, and repeated the markings on the plain bottle.<br /><br />For the 16.9-ounce bottle, I used 16 ounces as the 'full' amount and poured in 4 ounces to make the markings. The 12 and 20-ounce bottles were the easiest.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teachersareterrific.com/2018/11/conquering-great-bottle-flip-challenge.html" target="_blank"><img alt="It's the great bottle flipping challenge. Check this blog post for details on prepping for this and a freebie!" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1011" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3KrZ4D9ewfs/W9xiXWIZ1eI/AAAAAAAAtYs/G-k-9sMYuWcgp_Q6ndWl_xOFlKVUSGbaQCLcBGAs/s640/Slide5.JPG" title="It's the great bottle flipping challenge. Check this blog post for details on prepping for this and a freebie!" width="404" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I promise, this really only took about ten minutes. I also labeled each bottle with its size - 10 ounces, 12 ounces, 16 ounces, and 20 ounces.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Were my bottles marked perfectly? Probably not! But they were close! You could have older students do this on their own, but I marked my bottles to save time.</div><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Supplies for Groups</h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">What do the kids need to get started? I prepared a bin of the four bottles and a large measuring cup with water in it. Each team also had two lab sheets with the data table ready to use.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teachersareterrific.com/2018/11/conquering-great-bottle-flip-challenge.html" target="_blank"><img alt="It's the great bottle flipping challenge. Check this blog post for details on prepping for this and a freebie!" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1011" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KGmIlXBVcEo/W9xiWS5bjoI/AAAAAAAAtYc/3pd3QDBqlwUQ5ukqNs69xepkqZDzcjScgCEwYBhgL/s640/Slide3.JPG" title="It's the great bottle flipping challenge. Check this blog post for details on prepping for this and a freebie!" width="404" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>TIP</b>: If you do not have measuring cups or any type of cup with a pouring spout, don't worry. A paper cup (3 ounces) really will work. Students can just squeeze the sides of the cup to create a spout.&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>ANOTHER TIP: </b>Kids may not be very skilled at pouring water into those tiny bottle openings. Be prepared for spills. More about this later!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Data Tables</h3><div>Obviously, this endeavor is heavy on keeping data and analyzing it in order to design the best bottle later. So, I created a fabulous data table with rules about who would be the flipper and the recorder.</div><div><br /></div><div>My initial thinking was that only one student should be the flipper (control those variables).</div><div><br /></div><div>&nbsp;I totally disregarded how exciting this task was and that everyone would want to be the flipper. And I also chose the number FIFTEEN as the times a bottle would be flipped.</div><div><br /></div><div>Think about it for a minute- one student would flip all four bottles fifteen times at each water level. Yeah, it took about ten minutes to know this was not going to work. There were too many students without a job and the flipper was getting tired.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teachersareterrific.com/2018/11/conquering-great-bottle-flip-challenge.html" target="_blank"><img alt="It's the great bottle flipping challenge. Check this blog post for details on prepping for this and a freebie!" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1011" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-B5-cO9vCMiY/W9xiXInaRRI/AAAAAAAAtYo/WICI9qv12_M2IZJNlY93momCmbK5LkaTgCEwYBhgL/s640/Slide4.JPG" title="It's the great bottle flipping challenge. Check this blog post for details on prepping for this and a freebie!" width="404" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So, we revised the rules right in the middle of the first class and by the second class, I also had a new data table. With the second version, the students were partnered. Each student flipped a bottle five times and recorded the number landed.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After every bottle was flipped two partnerships were joined as a team of four. The larger team totaled all of their landed flips and used those larger numbers for the analysis.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teachersareterrific.com/2018/11/conquering-great-bottle-flip-challenge.html" target="_blank"><img alt="It's the great bottle flipping challenge. Check this blog post for details on prepping for this and a freebie!" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1011" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Cju-Iuhk9ro/W9xiWb9ZXcI/AAAAAAAAtYk/PTlDLHt3qbAlZzDXVYVeofjEmbA1zYLeQCEwYBhgL/s640/Slide2.JPG" title="It's the great bottle flipping challenge. Check this blog post for details on prepping for this and a freebie!" width="404" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The data analysis included determining a fractional amount of landed flips versus total flips. We turned that fraction into a landing percentage. Using those percentages students could quickly identify which bottle at which water level was the most accurate.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Spillage</h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Now, let's take a brief break from the challenge to talk about spillage of water.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Folks, it's going to happen. It's just water so we just laughed- especially when someone forgot to secure the lid to a bottle and it flew off soaking everyone around the table.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>TIP</b>: You need real towels. You can bring in a large roll of paper towels but you are going to use a lot of them. I keep a stack of old hand towels and bath towels in my lab and we use those whenever we do anything that might need to be cleaned up. They work better than paper towels!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">(I wash the towels in our school laundry room.)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teachersareterrific.com/2018/11/conquering-great-bottle-flip-challenge.html" target="_blank"><img alt="It's the great bottle flipping challenge. Check this blog post for details on prepping for this and a freebie!" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1011" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-S-4VgfIkVP8/W9xiWXSXHfI/AAAAAAAAtYg/uZorERL4w3MTgJdH_yMjWuu48bClc68QQCEwYBhgL/s640/Slide1.JPG" title="It's the great bottle flipping challenge. Check this blog post for details on prepping for this and a freebie!" width="404" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Results and Designing</h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Are you ready for the best part? Design your own bottle flipping challenge! This included deciding what to flip and creating their own data table.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">First, we brainstormed many different things we could try.&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><ul><li>Fill bottles as full as you can.</li><li>Change the water levels to different amounts than already tested.</li><li>Fill the bottle with something besides water.</li></ul><div>Which one of those do you think the kids opted to try?</div><div><br /></div><div>Yep, putting wacky things in the bottles was the unanimous choice for all my classes!</div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teachersareterrific.com/2018/11/conquering-great-bottle-flip-challenge.html" target="_blank"><img alt="It's the great bottle flipping challenge. Check this blog post for details on prepping for this and a freebie!" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1011" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EER_PQnZpPI/W9xiXpawj5I/AAAAAAAAtYw/Ymknrc-88yIXNq1mQCMaMjbDzvM5f7qrACEwYBhgL/s640/Slide6.JPG" title="It's the great bottle flipping challenge. Check this blog post for details on prepping for this and a freebie!" width="404" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We tried all the items you see pictured! I did have rules about the design (of course):</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><ul><li>Students could only choose 2 items to use in the bottles.</li><li>The data table had to have space for a fractional amount and a percentage.</li><li>The team had to invent their own flipping rules.</li><li>The data table they designed had to have a space for a conclusion of their experiment.</li></ul><div><b>Here is what we learned:</b> It doesn't really matter what is in the bottle as long as it has some weight to it. The rice and candy corn were very difficult to land. The sand and beans worked well. The marbles were heavy enough but tended to clunk on the table and not land at all.&nbsp;</div><div><br /></div><div>Overall, this was great fun! Easy set-up and easy cleanup!</div><br /><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Surprise!</h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Would you like to try this challenge? I am including a link below for you to grab it for free! I do not plan to add this to my TpT store. <i>It's a bonus for my blog readers</i>.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">If you do try this challenge please add some photos to your Instagram or Facebook page and tag me so I can see your kids in action! And follow me while you are there!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="text-align: center;"><b>Instagram and FB: @teachersareterrific</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/9901rurjd22su31/Bottle%20Flipping%20Challenge.zip?dl=0" target="_blank">BOTTLE FLIPPING CHALLENGE FREEBIE- Click Here</a></h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/teachersareterrific/" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="89" data-original-width="697" height="50" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WDIzyWUZXXI/W9xirHj7nnI/AAAAAAAAtZI/9xbHSD2GvTwR2Ke1IVXoGcg4gf77Zn5WACLcBGAs/s400/airplane%2Binstagram%2Bbutton.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Sellers-Im-Following/Add/Teachers-Are-Terrific" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="106" data-original-width="702" height="60" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ime_nqvq3Vc/W9xirBdRuXI/AAAAAAAAtZE/yoz_hOT09XEwQ3U24PF9iXkA030Wvx-PACLcBGAs/s400/airplane%2Btpt%2Bbutton.png" width="400" /></a></div><br />Carolhttps://plus.google.com/117070298526139327236noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2632736933856843787.post-50549637397349854792018-11-02T05:00:00.000-05:002018-11-02T05:00:01.468-05:00Keeping Students Engaged with a Sports Theme<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I don't know about you, but somewhere around the real beginning of fall, I start losing kids. There is just something about the crisp fall air and football season that grabs their&nbsp;attention.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Now, mind you, we live in Alabama, where the normal outside temperature during recess is about 95 degrees with&nbsp;100% humidity. Seriously, sometimes the playground equipment is not used because the bars are too hot to touch.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So, naturally, when the weather finally cools kids love to play outside.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">But, what about inside? How do we keep them engaged?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OeatJeQqItU/W9tUmTxqqBI/AAAAAAAAtXo/4-9KDjkuH5wvswwaGl10so6umh01qqaWACLcBGAs/s1600/nov%2Bslider%2Bpin%2Bjpg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="If you need to keep elementary students engaged during the fall football season this post has ideas to help. This includes a Sports Escape Room and Sports STEM Challenges. One of the challenges is a FREEBIE!" border="0" data-original-height="530" data-original-width="1070" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-OeatJeQqItU/W9tUmTxqqBI/AAAAAAAAtXo/4-9KDjkuH5wvswwaGl10so6umh01qqaWACLcBGAs/s1600/nov%2Bslider%2Bpin%2Bjpg.jpg" title="If you need to keep elementary students engaged during the fall football season this post has ideas to help. This includes a Sports Escape Room and Sports STEM Challenges. One of the challenges is a FREEBIE!" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><a name='more'></a><i><span style="color: #302a2c; font-family: &quot;century gothic&quot; , sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0.25pt;">I</span></i><i><span style="color: #302a2c; font-family: &quot;inherit&quot; , serif; letter-spacing: 0.25pt;">n this post, for your convenience, you may find Amazon Affiliate links to resources. This means that with your purchase of items Amazon will pass on small percentages to me. This will not create extra costs for you at all! It will help me keep this blog running!</span></i><br /><br />I have some fabulous ideas to share about keeping the attention of your elementary&nbsp;kids! It's all sports related!<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><ul><li>Try an Escape Room</li><li>Grab a Free STEM Challenge</li><li>Try a Sports STEM Challenge</li><li>Add a Sports Book!</li></ul><div>Sounds like fun, right? Your kids will&nbsp;love these!</div><div><br /></div><h3>Sports Escape Room</h3><div>The invention of these locked box events has grabbed my students' attention for sure. They love solving the riddles, math problems, and coordinated grids to find lock codes that unlock those boxes!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Escape-Room-featuring-Sports-4126491" target="_blank"><img alt="If you need to keep elementary students engaged during the fall football season this post has ideas to help. This includes a Sports Escape Room and Sports STEM Challenges. One of the challenges is a FREEBIE!" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1011" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BPPB0m8SAnE/W8OhIs-HB8I/AAAAAAAAtDM/24vnp6APDSsIQ873H40TjEE0xhNjDOWMQCEwYBhgL/s640/Slide1.JPG" title="If you need to keep elementary students engaged during the fall football season this post has ideas to help. This includes a Sports Escape Room and Sports STEM Challenges. One of the challenges is a FREEBIE!" width="404" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The idea with our newest Escape Room is to use sports in a really fun way. Students solve math problems, a word search puzzle, and use a football field on a coordinated grid. They follow clues to posters displayed around the room and discover the lock codes to unlock the boxes.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Here's where this really became fun! I made the posters for this Escape Room to resemble a Sports News Show (like ESPN). I had so much fun designing these posters and all the logos for each network. Take a look:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Escape-Room-featuring-Sports-4126491" target="_blank"><img alt="If you need to keep elementary students engaged during the fall football season this post has ideas to help. This includes a Sports Escape Room and Sports STEM Challenges. One of the challenges is a FREEBIE!" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1011" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SjRd1VSEQy0/W8OmUgxC9xI/AAAAAAAAtGQ/gH7D0m8zjAQmyDUhz-KJslHwbTXhbS1dQCLcBGAs/s640/ER%2Bsports.jpg" title="If you need to keep elementary students engaged during the fall football season this post has ideas to help. This includes a Sports Escape Room and Sports STEM Challenges. One of the challenges is a FREEBIE!" width="404" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I love the way these turned out and here is what I told the students. The five posters were displayed around our classroom and I told them the posters were like television screens- each tuned into a different sports network. Think about a restaurant that has lots of televisions! They loved it!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After opening the last locked box we had EVEN MORE fun! I added a little something to this Escape Room! After completing the locked box tasks students participated in three sporting events.&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I set up a basketball shooting area, a football&nbsp;kicking area, and a baseball pitching area. Don't worry- we used ping pong balls or <span style="background-color: white;">paper&nbsp;f</span>ootballs. (Our basketball area was a plastic basket taped to the wall and the kids tried to land ping pong balls inside it. Super easy to set up!)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Each team kept a scorecard of the points earned on each locked box and then a&nbsp; score for each of the sporting events.&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I think this Escape Room is going to turn out to be our favorite!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Are You Ready for Some Foosball?</h3>The Sports Escape Room resource suggests that you can continue the sports theme with a STEM Challenge. I just happen to have a free one that you can grab in my store.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Challenge-Foosball-FREEBIE-3643147" target="_blank"><img alt="If you need to keep elementary students engaged during the fall football season this post has ideas to help. This includes a Sports Escape Room and Sports STEM Challenges. One of the challenges is a FREEBIE!" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1011" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-S9GUB66XBqQ/W8OhIiFcKLI/AAAAAAAAtDE/PZ0wDb41JxUkFos4V9UxNkQB0GsY00raQCEwYBhgL/s640/Slide2.JPG" title="If you need to keep elementary students engaged during the fall football season this post has ideas to help. This includes a Sports Escape Room and Sports STEM Challenges. One of the challenges is a FREEBIE!" width="404" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This challenge is super easy to set up. Students just need shoe boxes, wide craft sticks, markers, and masking tape. I have used hot glue guns with this challenge, but masking tape also works very well.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The kids decorate their foosball players and have a fierce competition trying out all the&nbsp;foosball models!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">More STEM Challenges</h3><div>We also really love the STEM challenges about soccer, basketball, and football.</div><br /><h4>Soccer</h4><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Challenge-Soccer-Goal-and-Goalie-2825651" target="_blank"><img alt="If you need to keep elementary students engaged during the fall football season this post has ideas to help. This includes a Sports Escape Room and Sports STEM Challenges. One of the challenges is a FREEBIE!" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1011" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EYxpWcm22Bk/W8OhIrNE-kI/AAAAAAAAtDI/meufBsU8HOoH17U_0fA4aUT5lJdQH1XDwCEwYBhgL/s640/Slide3.JPG" title="If you need to keep elementary students engaged during the fall football season this post has ideas to help. This includes a Sports Escape Room and Sports STEM Challenges. One of the challenges is a FREEBIE!" width="404" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The soccer challenge has students making the soccer goal and the attached goalie. My favorite part of this one is seeing how the students decorate the goalie. Can you see that aggressive look on the goalie in the above photo?</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Challenge-Soccer-Goal-and-Goalie-2825651" target="_blank"><img alt="If you need to keep elementary students engaged during the fall football season this post has ideas to help. This includes a Sports Escape Room and Sports STEM Challenges. One of the challenges is a FREEBIE!" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1011" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FA4CBxneFNY/W8OhJCveoTI/AAAAAAAAtDQ/x6s1yd2zfdszdP_yXljLDFGGKvkeyJjPgCEwYBhgL/s640/Slide4.JPG" title="If you need to keep elementary students engaged during the fall football season this post has ideas to help. This includes a Sports Escape Room and Sports STEM Challenges. One of the challenges is a FREEBIE!" width="404" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The soccer challenge has an interesting requirement that the goalie is attached to the goal in some way. I added this rule to make this one more challenging. (By the way, notice the eyelashes on the goalie above!)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><h4 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Basketball</h4>We also enjoy the basketball challenge. In this task,&nbsp;students have to build the backboard which includes the goal and its net. Then they have to build a catapult that will toss the basketball through the net!<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Challenge-Basketball-Goals-2820734" target="_blank"><img alt="If you need to keep elementary students engaged during the fall football season this post has ideas to help. This includes a Sports Escape Room and Sports STEM Challenges. One of the challenges is a FREEBIE!" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1011" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uTY-2gdCbBo/W8OhJTUODbI/AAAAAAAAtDU/CLDY-rsnOS4NXHne_ezkrOrURG3pADxhwCEwYBhgL/s640/Slide5.JPG" title="If you need to keep elementary students engaged during the fall football season this post has ideas to help. This includes a Sports Escape Room and Sports STEM Challenges. One of the challenges is a FREEBIE!" width="404" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The netting&nbsp;fabric I use for these challenges is called mesh. I have tried tulle but found it to be really flimsy. The mesh was purchased at Wal Mart and for about $3 I grabbed enough to do the soccer and basketball challenges and have plenty leftover for next year.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><h4>&nbsp;Football</h4><div>My students love this one! They have to build the football goal posts and a catapulting system to kick the ball through the uprights.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Challenge-Football-Goalposts-2823545" target="_blank"><img alt="If you need to keep elementary students engaged during the fall football season this post has ideas to help. This includes a Sports Escape Room and Sports STEM Challenges. One of the challenges is a FREEBIE!" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1011" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-S9xsUGrL6Zg/W8OhJlCn_fI/AAAAAAAAtDY/3YxpxeOMjxMs2NusnqsICw088mht3aaEQCEwYBhgL/s640/Slide6.JPG" title="If you need to keep elementary students engaged during the fall football season this post has ideas to help. This includes a Sports Escape Room and Sports STEM Challenges. One of the challenges is a FREEBIE!" width="404" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I have tried many different footballs for this challenge- including the vinyl one in the above photo. It is actually way too large and heavy for their catapults. What works the best for all these sports challenges is just a simple ping-pong ball!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Sports Books I LOVE!</h3><div>The perfect introduction to a sports theme in the classroom is to read a book. I have two amazing books to suggest for you!<br /><br /><h3><i>Crash </i>by Jerry Spinelli</h3></div><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0679885501/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=0679885501&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=carol0a7-20&amp;linkId=a0fac5fe6a030d6d5d2ad47d7301dc19" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="320" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&amp;MarketPlace=US&amp;ASIN=0679885501&amp;ServiceVersion=20070822&amp;ID=AsinImage&amp;WS=1&amp;Format=_SL250_&amp;tag=carol0a7-20" width="215" /></a><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;">My all-time favorite&nbsp;read-aloud&nbsp;chapter book for kids. I read this to my third graders every single year. And I cried in parts of it- every single year. If you have not read this book- go grab it right now!</span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">This is the story of a young boy nicknamed Crash. When he is about 6 years old he meets a new neighbor, named Penn Webb. Crash, characteristically, makes fun of Penn every chance he gets, especially when he discovers Penn's parents are older, he lives in a very small house and has one toy. Penn is also a Quaker. Which means he doesn't play rough, fight, name call, talk back, etc. This is quite foreign to Crash.</span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Flash forward a few years and the boys are now in middle school. Crash has a new friend, named Mike, and the two set about to totally demean and bully Penn whenever they can. Like pouring mustard in his shoes or tearing up Penn's homework.</span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">I will tell you that the reactions of my third graders whenever we read those parts about the bullying were always amazing to see. It made them really understand bullying in a different way. They loved Penn and did not like the way he was treated.</span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">The story then moves into the Penn&nbsp;relay races. The setting for this story is Pennsylvania and the school system takes part in a relay team event every year. The kids have to try out to make the team. Crash, of course, is an athlete and plans to try out. So does Penn. Think about it- his name is Penn. &nbsp;It turns out that his great-grandfather once ran the same relays and Penn wants to run and be part of the winning team.</span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">The final tryout comes down to a race off between Crash and Penn. Who will win? I am not telling you, but I will say that this is one of the points in this book that always made me cry. What happens is an astounding moment and one I whispered as I read it to my students.</span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">It's a fabulous book that all kids love. Boys love because it's about football. But it's more than that. It's also about a family and the things that go on as kids grow up. It is a great story to teach about bullying and friendship and how to treat people. And it works perfectly while you are completing some sports activities!</span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br /><h3><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Teammates </i>by Peter Golenbock</span></h3><br /><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=carol0a7-20&amp;l=am2&amp;o=1&amp;a=0679885501" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0152842861/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=0152842861&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=carol0a7-20&amp;linkId=f83910631228fed63359d0b31f25910d" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="241" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&amp;MarketPlace=US&amp;ASIN=0152842861&amp;ServiceVersion=20070822&amp;ID=AsinImage&amp;WS=1&amp;Format=_SL250_&amp;tag=carol0a7-20" width="320" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=carol0a7-20&amp;l=am2&amp;o=1&amp;a=0152842861" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br /><div>This is an amazing little picture book! It's the story of Jackie Robinson becoming the first African-American baseball player in professional baseball. In the 1940's Jackie joined the Brooklyn Dodgers and then endured mistreatment from others on the team and from the crowds that came to watch games. He was booed, called names, and was not part of the travel arrangements with the rest of the team.<br /><br />The book begins with a history the Negro Baseball league and how those teams played only other teams in the same league. The differences between their league and professional baseball are noted as well. Then the manager for the Dodgers, Branch Rickey, decides to find a perfect baseball player that will integrate the pro league. He chooses Jackie Robinson.<br /><br />Jackie handles his mistreatment with an astounding grace and just keeps playing great baseball. Then one day a crowd at the Cincinnati field is being particularly cruel with booing and taunts at Jackie. The Dodgers shortstop, Pee Wee Reese, has finally had enough. He walks to Jackie and puts an arm around him- a sure signal to the fans that Jackie is his teammate. Pee Wee let the crowd know, "I am standing by him. He is my teammate."<br /><br />This is a beautiful book with such a strong message of friendship and hope. It's also perfect for encouraging teamwork in a STEM class!<br /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: &quot;arial&quot; , sans-serif; font-size: 17px;"><br /></span>There you have it STEM friends- sporting events in the classroom will keep your students engaged and completing tasks without realizing they are still doing some school work!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Sellers-Im-Following/Add/Teachers-Are-Terrific" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="106" data-original-width="702" height="60" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LFyLON00bJE/W8Ohc3DnfyI/AAAAAAAAtDs/WKnsy-i_kH4p8hQWFKA_SPokYBXAL-aUQCLcBGAs/s400/airplane%2Btpt%2Bbutton.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.teachersareterrific.com/2018/10/keeping-students-engaged-with-sports.html" target="_blank"><img alt="If you need to keep elementary students engaged during the fall football season this post has ideas to help. This includes a Sports Escape Room and Sports STEM Challenges. One of the challenges is a FREEBIE!" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="873" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cndUZFP1n0E/W8OhjEnxUbI/AAAAAAAAtDw/Kc9bcEd_5DMgDlXJaUeE6PgGVCXwse6hQCLcBGAs/s640/Main%2Blong%2Bpin%2Bsports%2Bpin%2Bjpg.jpg" title="If you need to keep elementary students engaged during the fall football season this post has ideas to help. This includes a Sports Escape Room and Sports STEM Challenges. One of the challenges is a FREEBIE!" width="348" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br />Carolhttps://plus.google.com/117070298526139327236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2632736933856843787.post-1194915307902775132018-10-26T05:00:00.000-05:002018-11-29T19:04:49.216-06:00Escaping into a Book (I Love Books)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I love writing book reviews and sometimes I even plan a theme before the month starts. (see my <a href="http://www.teachersareterrific.com/2018/04/the-wives-win-every-time.html" target="_blank">Books About Wives</a> post!)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">On the other hand, some months I read a variety of books and then look for a theme. Isn't it funny how the books will fall into a common thread? What was it this month?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This one is all about real-life.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><ul><li>An incarcerated man that is innocent and must fight for his life for 30 years.</li><li>A young woman that travels to Cuba to learn about her home country and discover family secrets.</li><li>A plane crash and survival story on a small Pacific island.</li><li>A family growing up in a polygamous community and encountering poverty and abuse and somehow surviving.</li><li>A dystopian story of a world without books.</li></ul><div>The selection this month is a superb one! You should definitely read all of them!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teachersareterrific.com/2018/08/october-books.html" target="_blank"><img alt="Book Reviews! This post is all about books reflecting real life- including a death-row inmate, a plane crash, a visit to Cuba, a polygamous compound, and a world without books. Must-reads!" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1130" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kA2YLjJw-js/W2Jc8ez7XSI/AAAAAAAArhE/O_wyE1w2MhQz0y8NnUFJhXwn43blug_xwCLcBGAs/s640/oct%2B2018.jpg" title="Book Reviews! This post is all about books reflecting real life- including a death-row inmate, a plane crash, a visit to Cuba, a polygamous compound, and a world without books. Must-reads!" width="450" /></a></div><br /><br /><a name='more'></a><span style="color: #302a2c; letter-spacing: 0.25pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>I</i></span></span><i><span style="color: #302a2c; font-family: &quot;inherit&quot; , serif; letter-spacing: 0.25pt;">n this post, for your convenience, you may find Amazon Affiliate links to resources. This means that with your purchase of items Amazon will pass on small percentages to me. This will not create extra costs for you at all! It will help me keep this blog running!</span></i><br /><h3><i>The Sun Does Shine</i> by Anthony&nbsp;Ray Hopkins</h3><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1250205794/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=1250205794&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=carol0a7-20&amp;linkId=9e8d8591e63acf52a12ca02d9341adec" target="_blank"><img alt="Ray Hopkins, at age 29, is mowing his mom's lawn when police officers arrive to arrest him for robbery and murder. He is taken to jail and at trial faces &quot;experts&quot; that use ballistics tests on the bullets fired at the scene and claim they match a gun belonging to Ray's mother. Ray is found guilty and sentenced to die in the electric chair in Alabama. Thirty years later he walks free. Thirty years on death row." border="0" height="400" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&amp;MarketPlace=US&amp;ASIN=1250205794&amp;ServiceVersion=20070822&amp;ID=AsinImage&amp;WS=1&amp;Format=_SL250_&amp;tag=carol0a7-20" title="Ray Hopkins, at age 29, is mowing his mom's lawn when police officers arrive to arrest him for robbery and murder. He is taken to jail and at trial faces &quot;experts&quot; that use ballistics tests on the bullets fired at the scene and claim they match a gun belonging to Ray's mother. Ray is found guilty and sentenced to die in the electric chair in Alabama. Thirty years later he walks free. Thirty years on death row." width="264" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=carol0a7-20&amp;l=am2&amp;o=1&amp;a=1250205794" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br /><div><br /></div><div>Ray Hopkins, at age 29, is mowing his mom's lawn when police officers arrive to arrest him for robbery and murder. He is taken to jail and at trial faces "experts" that use ballistics tests on the bullets fired at the scene and claim they match a gun belonging to Ray's mother. His attorney's ballistics expert is questioned and found to be lacking in his knowledge of the ballistics equipment. His attorney will only continue if Ray pays him for his services despite being a court-appointed attorney.<br /><br />Ray is found guilty and sentenced to die in the electric chair in Alabama.<br /><br />Thirty years later he walks free. Thirty years on death row.<br /><br />And yet, Ray Hinton maintained his dignity, and if it is possible he made the lives of inmates on his cell row a little better.<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">"I wonder what it is about the cries of another human being, whether it's a baby, a mother in grief, or a man in pain, that can touch us in ways we don't expect."</blockquote>The cries of another man led Ray to reach out to comfort the man and led to relationships with others on death row. This included asking the warden for many things to bring some <i>light</i>&nbsp;into their cells. After many years with only a Bible to read in their cells, Ray asked the warden to allow the inmates to have a book club. His childhood friend sent them books and they would&nbsp;pass these around and read them. Once a month, the guards would escort 6 men to the library where they would sit at separate tables and discuss the books.<br /><br />And that childhood friend is Lester. For 30 years, Lester visited Ray every single visitor's day. And he was there on the day that Ray walked free.<br /><br />This is a must-read book. Ray Hinton was innocent of the crime. He had incontrovertible&nbsp;proof of his whereabouts at the time of the murder. This innocent man spent 30 years on death row. 5 Stars!<br /><br /><h3><i>Next Year in Havana </i>by Chanel Cleeton</h3><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0399586687/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=0399586687&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=carol0a7-20&amp;linkId=17f221293078c3435553b35ab3f7937d" target="_blank"><img alt="It is 1958 in Havana where Elisa Perez and her sisters are living in Cuba's high society. Their father is a wealthy sugar baron and the four girls spend their days shopping, dressing in style, and going to parties. At the age of 19, Elisa has no idea of the political turmoil taking place in her country, nor the lurking dangers presented by the government and those that wish to overthrow it." border="0" height="400" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&amp;MarketPlace=US&amp;ASIN=0399586687&amp;ServiceVersion=20070822&amp;ID=AsinImage&amp;WS=1&amp;Format=_SL250_&amp;tag=carol0a7-20" title="It is 1958 in Havana where Elisa Perez and her sisters are living in Cuba's high society. Their father is a wealthy sugar baron and the four girls spend their days shopping, dressing in style, and going to parties. At the age of 19, Elisa has no idea of the political turmoil taking place in her country, nor the lurking dangers presented by the government and those that wish to overthrow it." width="265" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=carol0a7-20&amp;l=am2&amp;o=1&amp;a=0399586687" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br /><br />It is 1958 in Havana where Elisa Perez and her sisters are living in Cuba's high society. Their father is a wealthy sugar baron and the four girls spend their days shopping, dressing in style, and going to parties. At the age of 19, Elisa has no idea of the political turmoil taking place in her country, nor the <span style="background-color: white;">lurking&nbsp;</span>dangers presented by the government and those that wish to overthrow it.<br /><br />And then she meets a revolutionary, a man she becomes enamored with very quickly, despite their many differences. The Perez family, even though they have some influence with the government, must still make a decision about fleeing the country as the times get too dangerous. Elisa is separated from the man she loved.<br /><br />The story moves away from Elisa to Marisol, Elisa's granddaughter. She has always lived in Miami and spent her childhood listening to Elisa's stories about Cuba and its beauty.<br /><br />As a journalist, Marisol now able to go to Cuba (since Castro's death) and she travels there to write an article but also to carry out her grandmother's last wishes. Marisol arrives in Havana and finds the home of her grandmother and her grandmother's best friend. Here is where her journey takes a new path. She finds all sorts of family secrets to delve into and does this with the help of a young man that she meets.<br /><br />This story is beautifully written as it weaves together the stories of Elisa and Marisol. You will be enthralled with the descriptions of Cuba and you will learn so much about the history that brought such turmoil to this island country.<br /><br />This one gets 5 stars from me! There is romance, danger, and a little bit of fun!<br /><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" /><h3><i>Castle of Water </i>by Dane Huckelbridge</h3><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/125009822X/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=125009822X&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=carol0a7-20&amp;linkId=a0fa39f0d35b57711e8152c0b82d8ae5" target="_blank"><img alt="A small plane carrying three passengers to the Marquesa Islands crash lands in the Pacific Ocean, killing the pilot and one of the passengers. Barry and Sophie survive and miraculously both make it to very small island. Using the emergency bag Sophie found in the plane they manage to survive. For a very long time." border="0" height="400" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&amp;MarketPlace=US&amp;ASIN=125009822X&amp;ServiceVersion=20070822&amp;ID=AsinImage&amp;WS=1&amp;Format=_SL250_&amp;tag=carol0a7-20" title="A small plane carrying three passengers to the Marquesa Islands crash lands in the Pacific Ocean, killing the pilot and one of the passengers. Barry and Sophie survive and miraculously both make it to very small island. Using the emergency bag Sophie found in the plane they manage to survive. For a very long time." width="267" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=carol0a7-20&amp;l=am2&amp;o=1&amp;a=125009822X" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />A small plane carrying three passengers to the Marquesa Islands crash lands in the Pacific Ocean, killing the pilot and one of the passengers. Barry and Sophie survive and miraculously both make it to a&nbsp;very small island.<br /><br />Using the emergency bag Sophie found in the plane they manage to survive. For a very long time.<br /><br />So, what's the story? It is all about forging a relationship with a complete stranger and learning how to rely on one another to get through the harrowing experience which includes, of course, staying alive. The island, although tiny, has vegetation, including bananas and coconuts. Barry learns to catch fish and Sophie learns to dive for crustaceans. They fashion a shelter using a tarp from the emergency bag and palm fronds. The island does not have fresh water, but rainwater is collected and the emergency kit also had a crude water filter system.<br /><br />Barry and Sophie encounter quite a few obstacles (of course) but manage to work together to stay alive. They know rather quickly that no one is looking for them because a hand-cranked radio was amongst the emergency supplies. They hear that the search is called off and also know that this uncharted island may never be found.<br /><br />So, how does this end? It's a quick read so try this one and see what you think. I enjoyed the book! I couldn't wait to see what was going to happen to them next and I hoped and hoped they would be rescued. 4.5 stars!<br /><br /><h3><i>The Sound of Gravel </i>by Ruth Wariner</h3><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1250077702/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=1250077702&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=carol0a7-20&amp;linkId=feab7e41ce6e89b835199dedad3bbf85" target="_blank"><img alt="Ruth is the 39th of her father's 42 children. The polygamous family lives on a compound in Mexico. Ruth will eventually attend school and discover classmates that are her half-siblings. She will also move frequently as her mother copes with the death of her father and her second husband." border="0" height="400" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&amp;MarketPlace=US&amp;ASIN=1250077702&amp;ServiceVersion=20070822&amp;ID=AsinImage&amp;WS=1&amp;Format=_SL250_&amp;tag=carol0a7-20" title="Ruth is the 39th of her father's 42 children. The polygamous family lives on a compound in Mexico. Ruth will eventually attend school and discover classmates that are her half-siblings. She will also move frequently as her mother copes with the death of her father and her second husband." width="264" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=carol0a7-20&amp;l=am2&amp;o=1&amp;a=1250077702" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />Ruth is the 39th of her father's 42 children. The polygamous family lives on a compound in Mexico. Ruth will eventually attend school and discover classmates that are her half-siblings. She will also move frequently as her mother copes with the death of her father and her second husband's antics.<br /><br />The second husband, also married to several women, is abusive and does not provide for Ruth's family. Her mom and siblings live in homes without electricity or running water. As young as second grade, Ruth must help care for her younger brothers and sisters, three of whom have special needs. At the same time, her stepfather sporadically visits the home. When he does visit he abuses Ruth and her mom.<br /><br />Mom manages to keep the children fed by using welfare checks as they cross back and forth between living in the compound and cities in Texas. She also regularly uses garage sales to furnish their homes and get clothing for the kids. Sadly, they live in extreme poverty while also dealing with the stepfather's absences and abuse. Add to that his unfinished projects, which includes stringing electricity lines between households.<br /><br />It's an extraordinary story of growing up and the author does a splendid job of making you feel you are right in the middle of her story. The ending of the book was the heart of it all. It's a story of family relationships and Ruth's efforts to keep her sisters and brothers cared for and well. Read this one!<br /><br /><h3><i>Fahrenheit 451</i> by Ray Bradbury</h3><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1451673310/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=1451673310&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;tag=carol0a7-20&amp;linkId=3efd20ff032eb58645025645de8ed2ce" target="_blank"><img alt="This dystopian tale is about a world that has destroyed books. The firemen burn them whenever someone is discovered with a book. Guy Montag is one of the firemen." border="0" height="400" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&amp;MarketPlace=US&amp;ASIN=1451673310&amp;ServiceVersion=20070822&amp;ID=AsinImage&amp;WS=1&amp;Format=_SL250_&amp;tag=carol0a7-20" title="This dystopian tale is about a world that has destroyed books. The firemen burn them whenever someone is discovered with a book. Guy Montag is one of the firemen." width="260" /></a><img alt="" border="0" height="1" src="//ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=carol0a7-20&amp;l=am2&amp;o=1&amp;a=1451673310" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px !important;" width="1" /><br />How on earth have I never read this book? I do not know what I expected, but this turned out to be extraordinary.<br /><br />This dystopian tale is about a world that has destroyed books. The firemen burn them whenever someone is discovered with a book. Guy Montag is one of the firemen.<br /><br />His wife, Mildred, is a housewife that spends her entire day sitting in front of multiple screens, interacting with the shows. She is completely disconnected from what is real and what is make-believe on the screens.<br /><br />&nbsp;One evening the firemen go to burn a house full of books. The woman in the house refuses to leave and she dies with her books.&nbsp; Montag is deeply affected by this:<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">"There must be something in books, things we can't imagine, to make a woman stay in a burning house; there must be something there."</blockquote><br />I loved this book and know it's one I will need to read again. The author is masterful in his use of language and descriptions. Put this book on your next-read list.<br /><br /><h3>Enjoy this month's selections! What is the <i>best </i>book you have read lately?</h3></div>Carolhttps://plus.google.com/117070298526139327236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2632736933856843787.post-87868455403222636362018-10-19T05:00:00.000-05:002018-10-19T08:00:27.054-05:00The Drawbridge Project That Made Us Cheer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This amazing challenge was inspired by a real-life event! My husband and I were vacationing in South Carolina and drove out to visit an island. As we started across a bridge we were suddenly stopped and then watched as the bridge swung open.&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It was a drawbridge! Instead of opening in the center it had a span than hinged open like a doorway. So fascinating to watch...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And it made me start thinking of what I could do in the STEM Lab, of course! We have completed so many challenges and it is quite common to hear us cheer when something works. This challenge produced the most excited cheers ever!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teachersareterrific.com/2018/09/drawbridges.html" target="_blank"><img alt="Let's try a drawbridge! Here’s a terrific STEM challenge! It’s all about using school supplies for building and that supply is brand new pencils! In this challenge, students will design and build a drawbridge that follows specific constraints. The final structure must open and close in some way. Included are two versions that use different materials instead of pencils. Lots of choices in the use of this challenge. Editable lab sheets and constraints posters are provided. #STEM #engineering" border="0" data-original-height="530" data-original-width="1070" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VD4diFP0nFA/WzPQqfNegBI/AAAAAAAAqX8/sKRdPzCpmIgpXMHP-Q_C6RqAJZKM5NKKwCLcBGAs/s1600/drawbrisge%2Bslider%2Bjpg.jpg" title="Let's try a drawbridge! Here’s a terrific STEM challenge! It’s all about using school supplies for building and that supply is brand new pencils! In this challenge, students will design and build a drawbridge that follows specific constraints. The final structure must open and close in some way. Included are two versions that use different materials instead of pencils. Lots of choices in the use of this challenge. Editable lab sheets and constraints posters are provided. #STEM #engineering" /></a></div><br /><br /><a name='more'></a><br /><h3>How can we build a drawbridge?</h3><div>We really experimented with this one! First of all, I had many students that had never seen a drawbridge work. So, I found videos of many different kinds of bridges.&nbsp; We also tried different materials and changed the rules of the task when we needed to and here is what we ended up with as far as a plan:</div><div><ul><li>Watch videos and learn about drawbridges.</li><li>Create an opening the bridge must cross (we call it the span).</li><li>Create an opening for the drawbridge that will move up and down or side to side.</li><li>Make end supports that will hold the weight of the bridge.</li><li>Design a way to open and close the bridge!</li></ul></div><h3></h3><h3>The Span for the Bridge</h3><div>We have gigantic lab tables that are about 3 feet high. Whenever we build a bridge I just <span style="background-color: white;">push&nbsp;</span>the tables together (the tables have wheels) and measure the opening. The space we used was about a foot wide. (Two student desks will also work.)</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Challenge-Build-a-Drawbridge-2742215" target="_blank"><img alt="Let's try a drawbridge! Here’s a terrific STEM challenge! It’s all about using school supplies for building and that supply is brand new pencils! In this challenge, students will design and build a drawbridge that follows specific constraints. The final structure must open and close in some way. Included are two versions that use different materials instead of pencils. Lots of choices in the use of this challenge. Editable lab sheets and constraints posters are provided. #STEM #engineering" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="873" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZCGpNSw3OJM/WzPQy3BbH5I/AAAAAAAAqYY/uiE25bPSK2wlUte4XOh2xewAufNLpwHxwCLcBGAs/s640/Slide7.JPG" title="Let's try a drawbridge! Here’s a terrific STEM challenge! It’s all about using school supplies for building and that supply is brand new pencils! In this challenge, students will design and build a drawbridge that follows specific constraints. The final structure must open and close in some way. Included are two versions that use different materials instead of pencils. Lots of choices in the use of this challenge. Editable lab sheets and constraints posters are provided. #STEM #engineering" width="348" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The two bridges above used a wide piece of cardboard for the roadway and dowel sticks for the end supports. Most of the teams used a piece of string as a way to pull open the bridge parts. Many groups attached the string to a wind-up system they also built.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>TIP: </b>Dowel sticks are a great material to keep stocked for STEM. I have a nice supply in several diameters. I have sets that I have also snapped in half and my rule is that students may not break the sticks. It's a safety issue and dowel sticks are costly!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Which Way Will Your Bridge Move?</h3>Students were really intrigued with the drawbridges we viewed that did not open in the traditional&nbsp;up/down style. They really wanted to make the side to&nbsp;side version.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Challenge-Build-a-Drawbridge-2742215" target="_blank"><img alt="Let's try a drawbridge! Here’s a terrific STEM challenge! It’s all about using school supplies for building and that supply is brand new pencils! In this challenge, students will design and build a drawbridge that follows specific constraints. The final structure must open and close in some way. Included are two versions that use different materials instead of pencils. Lots of choices in the use of this challenge. Editable lab sheets and constraints posters are provided. #STEM #engineering" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="873" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-b_H3jIW1Fk8/WzPQyJaETLI/AAAAAAAAqYE/NC9Qoh6cLuEN8Dz_b-hFfp4OUzgnf9i8QCLcBGAs/s640/Slide2.JPG" title="Let's try a drawbridge! Here’s a terrific STEM challenge! It’s all about using school supplies for building and that supply is brand new pencils! In this challenge, students will design and build a drawbridge that follows specific constraints. The final structure must open and close in some way. Included are two versions that use different materials instead of pencils. Lots of choices in the use of this challenge. Editable lab sheets and constraints posters are provided. #STEM #engineering" width="348" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">If you look closely at the above photo you can see string or pipe cleaners attached to the rods under the bridge. When those are pulled the roadway hinges toward the tables and leaves an opening. This model opened really well, but getting it to close was more difficult. What a great problem they had to solve!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>TIP: </b>Kids will try to add parts to structures that cannot happen in real life. In the photo above one of the students is standing off to the side pulling the string that opens his side of the bridge. Could a giant person really be standing in that position to make a bridge work? No!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">When I see things like this happening I will say, "Great problem-solving and I will&nbsp;be back in a minute to see how you fine-tuned this design to make it real." This is a quiet way to signal to the group that their design needs more work. Here's the thing- sometimes kids need to try something that is not really possible in order to re-design and make it work!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The Bridge Has to Have Supports</h3>In order for the drawbridge to open and close it had to have a good support system on each side. The supports had to allow for movement and had to keep the sides of the bridge in place.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Challenge-Build-a-Drawbridge-2742215" target="_blank"><img alt="Let's try a drawbridge! Here’s a terrific STEM challenge! It’s all about using school supplies for building and that supply is brand new pencils! In this challenge, students will design and build a drawbridge that follows specific constraints. The final structure must open and close in some way. Included are two versions that use different materials instead of pencils. Lots of choices in the use of this challenge. Editable lab sheets and constraints posters are provided. #STEM #engineering" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="873" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZYCt3CaC-8w/WzPQy9pErsI/AAAAAAAAqYU/3yowbHp37vw5mLYgHjbSxCLkLqMz1XG-wCLcBGAs/s640/Slide6.JPG" title="Let's try a drawbridge! Here’s a terrific STEM challenge! It’s all about using school supplies for building and that supply is brand new pencils! In this challenge, students will design and build a drawbridge that follows specific constraints. The final structure must open and close in some way. Included are two versions that use different materials instead of pencils. Lots of choices in the use of this challenge. Editable lab sheets and constraints posters are provided. #STEM #engineering" width="348" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Above you can see a team that really wanted their bridge to also look like a bridge. They added a lot of side rails and then tackled the opening and closing. It did not occur to them that the side rails would add weight to their bridge and the opening and closing would be affected.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b>TIP: </b>You might notice in the photo above that the team pushed craft sticks through the cardboard to make those side rails. I have a safety rule in my lab about piercing anything! This team marked all the spots on the cardboard that needed a hole and brought those pieces to me. I used a box-cutter and easily make the slits they needed.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Let's Watch One in Action!</h3><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YNoLj-XDIMI" width="420"></iframe> <br /><div><br />Wasn't that fabulous! You probably noticed that we used pencils instead of dowel sticks! This challenge was created about two years ago and that particular year I had hundreds of brand new pencils (unsharpened) and we built things with them!<br /><br /></div><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">More Ways to Open and Close</h3><div>Below: This team creased the cardboard to be the hinging part of the opening. This actually worked well. They pulled the strings from the end supports and then released them to close their roadway.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Challenge-Build-a-Drawbridge-2742215" target="_blank"><img alt="Let's try a drawbridge! Here’s a terrific STEM challenge! It’s all about using school supplies for building and that supply is brand new pencils! In this challenge, students will design and build a drawbridge that follows specific constraints. The final structure must open and close in some way. Included are two versions that use different materials instead of pencils. Lots of choices in the use of this challenge. Editable lab sheets and constraints posters are provided. #STEM #engineering" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="873" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-goOjMjGyOLs/WzPQyHVpb3I/AAAAAAAAqYI/ld39zxIk0Oo-UEP6y_l5eyRG57GiQskVACEwYBhgL/s640/Slide3.JPG" title="Let's try a drawbridge! Here’s a terrific STEM challenge! It’s all about using school supplies for building and that supply is brand new pencils! In this challenge, students will design and build a drawbridge that follows specific constraints. The final structure must open and close in some way. Included are two versions that use different materials instead of pencils. Lots of choices in the use of this challenge. Editable lab sheets and constraints posters are provided. #STEM #engineering" width="348" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div>Below: The string that makes this bridge open runs under the roadway. What you cannot see is the crank at the top of the center that is being wound to pull the strings.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Challenge-Build-a-Drawbridge-2742215" target="_blank"><img alt="Let's try a drawbridge! Here’s a terrific STEM challenge! It’s all about using school supplies for building and that supply is brand new pencils! In this challenge, students will design and build a drawbridge that follows specific constraints. The final structure must open and close in some way. Included are two versions that use different materials instead of pencils. Lots of choices in the use of this challenge. Editable lab sheets and constraints posters are provided. #STEM #engineering" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="873" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5gJVowmhG-k/WzPQybR5UoI/AAAAAAAAqYM/MldDDDHPgWgeqMhbF5Sp8zCZjzhebtDvgCEwYBhgL/s640/Slide4.JPG" title="Let's try a drawbridge! Here’s a terrific STEM challenge! It’s all about using school supplies for building and that supply is brand new pencils! In this challenge, students will design and build a drawbridge that follows specific constraints. The final structure must open and close in some way. Included are two versions that use different materials instead of pencils. Lots of choices in the use of this challenge. Editable lab sheets and constraints posters are provided. #STEM #engineering" width="348" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So much fun! (And Cheering!)</h3><div>I will tell you this one was the best for sharing at the end of class. Every team was so proud of the opening and closing mechanisms and all the extras added to the bridges. Many of them had guard rails to stop traffic or a red light/green light to stop cars. The kids loved showing the guard rails falling into place and then opening the bridge!</div><div><br /></div><div>Whether you use pencils or dowel sticks this challenge is perfect for your 4th or 5th graders! And, trust me, whenever a bridge successfully opens and closes they will all cheer!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Sellers-Im-Following/Add/Teachers-Are-Terrific" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="106" data-original-width="702" height="60" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rLvUuEQj-8k/WzPRE9axyXI/AAAAAAAAqYs/jSrNbdyPPQA-CaCdkQxBfxyztCL-1MX0wCLcBGAs/s400/airplane%2Btpt%2Bbutton.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Challenge-Build-a-Drawbridge-2742215" target="_blank"><img alt="Let's try a drawbridge! Here’s a terrific STEM challenge! It’s all about using school supplies for building and that supply is brand new pencils! In this challenge, students will design and build a drawbridge that follows specific constraints. The final structure must open and close in some way. Included are two versions that use different materials instead of pencils. Lots of choices in the use of this challenge. Editable lab sheets and constraints posters are provided. #STEM #engineering" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="873" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MaJ0Sn9KiaU/WzPQyqFy6RI/AAAAAAAAqYQ/oWkxgnSzf9wWadI1uf2ziNT0P20c4LNaQCEwYBhgL/s640/Slide5.JPG" title="Let's try a drawbridge! Here’s a terrific STEM challenge! It’s all about using school supplies for building and that supply is brand new pencils! In this challenge, students will design and build a drawbridge that follows specific constraints. The final structure must open and close in some way. Included are two versions that use different materials instead of pencils. Lots of choices in the use of this challenge. Editable lab sheets and constraints posters are provided. #STEM #engineering" width="348" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br />Carolhttps://plus.google.com/117070298526139327236noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2632736933856843787.post-68618812163560393392018-10-12T05:00:00.000-05:002018-10-12T05:00:06.472-05:00How to Have a Blast with Balloon Cars!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Are you ready for a very exciting STEM Challenge?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Actually, that's a statement that can be true of all STEM Challenges! This one has a unique quality and a competitive component. Hold onto your hats!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Challenge-Balloon-Cars-1596644" target="_blank"><img alt="In this STEM activity, your students will create a car that rolls using simple supplies. The added bonus is to make the car propel forward with the power of a blown up balloon. Will it roll? Will it travel on a straight path? How will the balloons be attached? Great questions for your problem-solving group! And there will be problem-solving. Your students will amaze you with their designs and ways to make this car work. They will love competing after completing the design of their Balloon car." border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="873" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cORN3X6oOjg/WqMvyGA7kqI/AAAAAAAAnNM/HRIjgvVb_tQuBvM0TQCQbioJqNYLAl4IQCLcBGAs/s640/Slide4.JPG" title="In this STEM activity, your students will create a car that rolls using simple supplies. The added bonus is to make the car propel forward with the power of a blown up balloon. Will it roll? Will it travel on a straight path? How will the balloons be attached? Great questions for your problem-solving group! And there will be problem-solving. Your students will amaze you with their designs and ways to make this car work. They will love competing after completing the design of their Balloon car." width="348" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><a name='more'></a>The first time we tried this challenge&nbsp;the kids were quite aghast at the lack of materials available! They have a small&nbsp;selection of items and they&nbsp;must build a car that rolls and travels forward- hopefully in a straight line.<br /><br />The problems they encounter are met with a fabulous diligence because ultimately they want the cars to perform. The promise of races with other teams makes them work really hard!<br /><br /><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The Axle</h3>We have built a good variety of cars in our class. The biggest problem we encounter with every car is that axle.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Challenge-Balloon-Cars-1596644" target="_blank"><img alt="In this STEM activity, your students will create a car that rolls using simple supplies. The added bonus is to make the car propel forward with the power of a blown up balloon. Will it roll? Will it travel on a straight path? How will the balloons be attached? Great questions for your problem-solving group! And there will be problem-solving. Your students will amaze you with their designs and ways to make this car work. They will love competing after completing the design of their Balloon car." border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="768" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8s29HeYsKqc/WqMvyrPcFbI/AAAAAAAAnNU/e2riK0Uknc07GiQjZv1-3KzBT2hz2LExACEwYBhgL/s320/small%2B3.jpg" title="In this STEM activity, your students will create a car that rolls using simple supplies. The added bonus is to make the car propel forward with the power of a blown up balloon. Will it roll? Will it travel on a straight path? How will the balloons be attached? Great questions for your problem-solving group! And there will be problem-solving. Your students will amaze you with their designs and ways to make this car work. They will love competing after completing the design of their Balloon car." width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The idea that a car must roll leads kids to try to make <i>wheels </i>that roll. They want the axle to stay stationary. This can work and I have seen teams pull it off, but what really does work better is stationary wheels and a turning axle. I have some toy cars that I display so kids can think about how a real car works. The wheels roll because the axle turns.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In the photo above you can see the best way to make this happen. Use a straw with a wooden stick running through it. The straw is attached to the body of the car. The wheels are placed on the stick and they roll! This, of course, is something the kids have to discover. They will try many things before they try this simple trick.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">PROBLEM: we use shish-ka-bob sticks for this. Before you use that kind of wooden stick snap the pointed tips off of them!</div><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Designing the Car</h3>Again, we have built a lot of little cars. Most of them are built of cardboard and the kids make a box. For this challenge one of the materials is a paper plate.<br /><br />Yep, a paper plate.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Challenge-Balloon-Cars-1596644" target="_blank"><img alt="In this STEM activity, your students will create a car that rolls using simple supplies. The added bonus is to make the car propel forward with the power of a blown up balloon. Will it roll? Will it travel on a straight path? How will the balloons be attached? Great questions for your problem-solving group! And there will be problem-solving. Your students will amaze you with their designs and ways to make this car work. They will love competing after completing the design of their Balloon car." border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="873" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tsTtemdWpV0/WqMvxeXAz7I/AAAAAAAAnNE/_l95H_XZGe8BAam9XrLgfFiIZG1I1UAngCEwYBhgL/s640/Slide1.JPG" title="In this STEM activity, your students will create a car that rolls using simple supplies. The added bonus is to make the car propel forward with the power of a blown up balloon. Will it roll? Will it travel on a straight path? How will the balloons be attached? Great questions for your problem-solving group! And there will be problem-solving. Your students will amaze you with their designs and ways to make this car work. They will love competing after completing the design of their Balloon car." width="347" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The cars made from this unique material are almost always shaped like burritos or tacos, but this year I had some that looked more like a box. And maybe, even a food box!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The box-shaped one in the photo above actually looked like a hot dog container that you might get at the ballpark.&nbsp;</div><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Wheels</h3>Making wheels is another dilemma we run into whenever we make a car. I discovered a long time ago that making round objects and then cutting them out nicely is a challenge for kids!<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Challenge-Balloon-Cars-1596644" target="_blank"><img alt="In this STEM activity, your students will create a car that rolls using simple supplies. The added bonus is to make the car propel forward with the power of a blown up balloon. Will it roll? Will it travel on a straight path? How will the balloons be attached? Great questions for your problem-solving group! And there will be problem-solving. Your students will amaze you with their designs and ways to make this car work. They will love competing after completing the design of their Balloon car." border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="768" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rzQ_VtDVsOE/WqMvyH5GW4I/AAAAAAAAnNQ/rSrybBv0gToVAmpTPARCeuIxZ5nHnOEzACEwYBhgL/s320/small%2B2.jpg" title="In this STEM activity, your students will create a car that rolls using simple supplies. The added bonus is to make the car propel forward with the power of a blown up balloon. Will it roll? Will it travel on a straight path? How will the balloons be attached? Great questions for your problem-solving group! And there will be problem-solving. Your students will amaze you with their designs and ways to make this car work. They will love competing after completing the design of their Balloon car." width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Take a look at the wheels in the photo above. They are not exactly round and this will definitely keep them from rolling!&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">PROBLEM: It's hard to cut out those wheels! Because I know this I will usually&nbsp;cut out wheels for my younger students (3rd grade), but the older ones are on their own. Here's what I see sometimes: There will be one student in the class that is an expert circle cutter and every team will talk that student into cutting out their wheels!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Challenge-Balloon-Cars-1596644" target="_blank"><img alt="In this STEM activity, your students will create a car that rolls using simple supplies. The added bonus is to make the car propel forward with the power of a blown up balloon. Will it roll? Will it travel on a straight path? How will the balloons be attached? Great questions for your problem-solving group! And there will be problem-solving. Your students will amaze you with their designs and ways to make this car work. They will love competing after completing the design of their Balloon car." border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="873" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cQrv8viYQrQ/WqMvxdrF2LI/AAAAAAAAnNA/_WxHHtmF_C47XZNqnxvIgEQH6lNqllVVwCEwYBhgL/s640/Slide2.JPG" title="In this STEM activity, your students will create a car that rolls using simple supplies. The added bonus is to make the car propel forward with the power of a blown up balloon. Will it roll? Will it travel on a straight path? How will the balloons be attached? Great questions for your problem-solving group! And there will be problem-solving. Your students will amaze you with their designs and ways to make this car work. They will love competing after completing the design of their Balloon car." width="347" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Look at all the wheels and axles in the photo above! Now, let's see if we can make those cars move.</div><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Attaching the Balloons</h3>Each group has several balloons and they&nbsp;must determine a way to attach them and still be able to blow them up. And, the balloon has to stay attached when it is released.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Challenge-Balloon-Cars-1596644" target="_blank"><img alt="In this STEM activity, your students will create a car that rolls using simple supplies. The added bonus is to make the car propel forward with the power of a blown up balloon. Will it roll? Will it travel on a straight path? How will the balloons be attached? Great questions for your problem-solving group! And there will be problem-solving. Your students will amaze you with their designs and ways to make this car work. They will love competing after completing the design of their Balloon car." border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="768" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eY7X2l-VV_Q/WqMvzOw8W2I/AAAAAAAAnNY/0U6yZ6qMD2wvv1UPxWCSm125rbXyEQQnQCEwYBhgL/s320/small1.jpg" title="In this STEM activity, your students will create a car that rolls using simple supplies. The added bonus is to make the car propel forward with the power of a blown up balloon. Will it roll? Will it travel on a straight path? How will the balloons be attached? Great questions for your problem-solving group! And there will be problem-solving. Your students will amaze you with their designs and ways to make this car work. They will love competing after completing the design of their Balloon car." width="320" /></a></div>The group above tried a double set thinking this would make it go faster and farther! What do you think happened?<br /><h3>Creativity</h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Every year I have groups that add their own flair to this challenge. This year was exceptional. Below you can see the Pizza Car, a cone-shaped car, the open taco car, and a couple of box-shaped cars.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Challenge-Balloon-Cars-1596644" target="_blank"><img alt="In this STEM activity, your students will create a car that rolls using simple supplies. The added bonus is to make the car propel forward with the power of a blown up balloon. Will it roll? Will it travel on a straight path? How will the balloons be attached? Great questions for your problem-solving group! And there will be problem-solving. Your students will amaze you with their designs and ways to make this car work. They will love competing after completing the design of their Balloon car." border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="873" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-w3NCHreIS3Q/WqMvxvoN-LI/AAAAAAAAnNI/1jm3lTHsZt8o34Yj8tYNBYAAqLgAVJZzACEwYBhgL/s640/Slide3.JPG" title="In this STEM activity, your students will create a car that rolls using simple supplies. The added bonus is to make the car propel forward with the power of a blown up balloon. Will it roll? Will it travel on a straight path? How will the balloons be attached? Great questions for your problem-solving group! And there will be problem-solving. Your students will amaze you with their designs and ways to make this car work. They will love competing after completing the design of their Balloon car." width="347" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Racing</h3><div>This challenge is challenging, but it is one that will work. Kids will stick with this one and make those balloon cars race around. Sometimes they will only travel in a circle and sometimes there will be enough that work successfully so we can have races! Watch our video!</div><iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/w10Yf3eZEaM" width="560"></iframe> <br /><br />Balloon Cars are a quick challenge with only a few materials and one that kids will love! Perfect for a lively Friday afternoon! You will have a <b>BLAST</b>!<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/STEM-Challenge-Balloon-Cars-1596644" target="_blank"><img alt="In this STEM activity, your students will create a car that rolls using simple supplies. The added bonus is to make the car propel forward with the power of a blown up balloon. Will it roll? Will it travel on a straight path? How will the balloons be attached? Great questions for your problem-solving group! And there will be problem-solving. Your students will amaze you with their designs and ways to make this car work. They will love competing after completing the design of their Balloon car." border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="873" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cORN3X6oOjg/WqMvyGA7kqI/AAAAAAAAnNM/iuzJwhrhYuUF-OGy9xlh0tfEr1kbZ2Z_ACEwYBhgL/s640/Slide4.JPG" title="In this STEM activity, your students will create a car that rolls using simple supplies. The added bonus is to make the car propel forward with the power of a blown up balloon. Will it roll? Will it travel on a straight path? How will the balloons be attached? Great questions for your problem-solving group! And there will be problem-solving. Your students will amaze you with their designs and ways to make this car work. They will love competing after completing the design of their Balloon car." width="345" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/teachersareterrific/" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="89" data-original-width="697" height="40" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lOrHdS-j0T8/WslrCeiMk_I/AAAAAAAAoNc/-vOwngoocZ8FYeULuKnaCsbbThCi0q_EACLcBGAs/s320/airplane%2Binstagram%2Bbutton.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Sellers-Im-Following/Add/Teachers-Are-Terrific" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="106" data-original-width="702" height="48" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CtlJTdYE0M0/WslrCWD2kCI/AAAAAAAAoNg/rLoC8uD7AzE1i6peXExxDIn4NKRPOthOACLcBGAs/s320/airplane%2Btpt%2Bbutton.png" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><br />Carolhttps://plus.google.com/117070298526139327236noreply@blogger.com2